Salvation
by LOTSlover
Summary: Sequel to my fic Home, Richard and Kahlan have newborn daughters, but their happiness will have to be put on hold while Kahlan recovers from the attack by Sister Nicci and with Darken Rahl set to attack in order to take back his throne.
1. Chapter 1

**TITLE****:** Salvation

**AUTHOR****: **LOTSlove®

**CHARACTERS****: **Richard / Kahlan

**RATING****: **PG-16 / T

**SPOILERS****: **Anything from Seasons 1 & 2

**DISCLAIMER****:** I love them and love to write about them even though I don't own them or make a dime.

**SUMMARY****: **Sequel to my fic _Home,_ Richard and Kahlan have newborn daughters, but their happiness will have to be put on hold while Kahlan recovers from the attack by Sister Nicci and with Darken Rahl set to attack in order to take back his throne.

**Chapter 1**

With the moon shining brightly, the dark silhouette of a man could be seen standing on the edge of a steep cliff overlooking the People's Palace. The mysterious figure appeared to be oblivious to the chilly night air, the snow falling silently around him or the danger of being discovered so close to the Lord Rahl's home.

Stroking his chin, his eyes were fixed solely on the fortress that sat below, his mind consumed with nothing but what lay before him. Not even the sea of tents holding the Lord Rahl's army that spread out like a protective barrier outside of the Palace walls could deter him at this point.

The tents were at least twenty deep, running like a black moat all the way around the Palace, protecting the Lord Rahl and Mother Confessor as well as all those they held dear, including their twin daughters that had been rumored to have been born in the last few days.

A malicious smile broke across his face, his eyes beginning to gleam brightly in the darkness of the night as his thoughts settled on the Lord Rahl's twin daughters. The magic, the sheer power that flowed through the veins of those girls would be unimaginable.

There could be no greater power in creation than the combined blood of Lord Richard Rahl and the most powerful Mother Confessor to have lived in over a thousand years. If he could gain control over that power, the possibilities would be endless.

Destroying Richard Rahl, keeping the Mother Confessor for himself would be the ultimate prize. And if she refused to comply, Kahlan Amnell Rahl would find herself on the unpleasant end of the Mord'Sith's persuasive techniques. She would submit or die…and Richard would have the distasteful experience of watching it all unfold before him, unable to do anything to stop it from happening to her.

The distant, familiar flapping of gars' wings filtered through his mind, reminding him that he was not alone up here on this cliff. Predators and prey alike filled these mountains and he was all too happy to be considered the former.

His tongue darted out, gliding hungrily along his lips as his thoughts began to swarm around his future plans, his heart beating faster. If he had his way, he'd have his throne back now, but he knew he had to wait, wanted to make Richard squirm, making him wonder exactly what his brother was up to.

XXX

Shouting. Arguing. Anger.

The distorted sounds invaded her mind and tugged mightily at her senses. She squeezed her eyes tighter shut against the words that she heard but could not quite grasp hold of. She wanted so desperately to give into the grasp that was trying to drag her back into that blissful state of nothingness, but there was the sound of one voice that shot with deadly precision straight to her core, a voice that made her want to fight.

He always made her want to fight.

Richard.

He was yelling about something. He was very upset, almost enraged. She had to see him, make sure he was alright. He needed her.

Opening her eyes, Kahlan dazedly looked about the room, taking in her surroundings. She was in their suite, their bed. She was home.

Her hands instantly went to her belly, anxious to know about her babies. Her stomach was flat again just like it had been before she came to be with the twins. Where were her daughters now? She stifled a frantic sob at the thought of something happening to her girls, the sudden panic of not knowing where they were.

Richard.

She had to find him. He wouldn't let anything happen to their daughters. He would keep them safe at any cost.

Pulling back the covers, Kahlan groaned as she sat up on the edge of the bed. The room became a twister of colors and shapes before her eyes, spinning wildly. Steadying herself with one hand, she rubbed her eyes with the other, pulling a strand of hair behind her ear. Her head was pounding like a thousand drums beating in unison. There was a rushing like wind in her ears as bile rose up in the back of her throat.

Gathering her senses, Kahlan attempted to focus on the voices in their greeting room.

"…I don't care that they're demanding our surrender. I will never let them get their hands on Kahlan or my daughters…"

The rage in her husband's voice was unmistakable as he yelled at whoever was with him in the greeting room. Something more than just the demand to surrender had fueled his anger.

"…I will not leave, not with Kahlan like this. She's in no condition to be moved…"

Silence again filled the room as someone probably attempted to change Richard's stubborn mind. She knew that once his mind was set, there was nothing that could change it. Kahlan stood on shaky legs that were almost refusing to hold her up, gritting her teeth in order to force them to move. Slowly, first one step and then another, each step she took an immense victory in her mind.

The sound of Richard' angry voice filled her ears once more, causing her to stop abruptly in her tracks as she listened, hoping to understand exactly what was going on and what had happened to her.

"We make our stand right here. I will not run like a coward or leave D'Hara in the hands of Darken Rahl, not after everything Kahlan and I have accomplished so far."

Kahlan felt an abrupt surge of pride and love envelope her heart with her husband's fierce words. He was right. They couldn't run just to protect themselves, abandoning these people. They deserved better than that from them.

She felt a tear escape from the corner of her eye as a sudden wave of loneliness and longing swept over her. She missed Richard so desperately, just the sound of his voice awakening her need for him.

Spirits, how long had she been asleep?

Taking another step, she felt her legs begin to tremble again, ready to give out on her. Just at that moment, the door opened and the man who filled her heart suddenly filled the doorway, his face a mixture of surprise and relief.

"Kahlan," he whispered.

Watching her as she began to collapse before him, he raced to her side, catching her before she could hit the floor. He immediately swept her slender form up into his arms, holding her so tightly to him he feared he would break her.

"Spirits, Kahlan!" he exclaimed with worry. "What are you doing?"

Kahlan quickly wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him tightly before whispering in his ear. "I had to find you."

Her voice was a faint sigh compared to the strength it typically held, her need for him present in her tone as she pressed her forehead against his cheek, inhaling deeply the scent that grounded her and set her heart to pounding with desire.

"Kahlan…" he murmured again, her name a strangled sound on his tongue.

Feeling wetness trickling down her neck, she pulled back to see tears streaming down his face. "It's alright," Kahlan whispered, cupping his face as she brushed away his tears with her kisses. "I'm here, my love. I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere."

"I thought I'd lost you," he choked out, gasping back another sob.

Before she could reply, his lips were suddenly colliding with hers, kissing her with all the pent up anguish he'd been harboring. The desperation in his kisses brought tears to her eyes knowing that she had been the one that had caused him this grief.

As he kissed his wife, neither noticed the relieved Mord'Sith standing in the doorway or the small smile that lit her face. Reaching for the handle, Cara quietly pulled the door closed, allowing them this time of reunion.

Carrying her to their bed, Richard gently laid her down, following her with his lips. Kneeling down at the side of the bed, tears fell anew as he brushed her hair from her face. Kahlan watched as tears dripped from his lips and chin as he gazed at her, relief imprinted in his handsome features.

Moving closer to the edge of the bed, she gently wiped his tears with her fingertips as he grasped the nape of her neck, his thumb caressing her cheek. Her fingers wandered down his jaw and neck to rest against his chest.

They just stayed like that for several moments, just reconnecting and drinking in each other's presence. Finally, slowly, Richard leaned in kissing her tenderly, his lips gently brushing against hers like a soft whisper compared to the storm of passion she knew was brewing inside of him at that moment. She knew because she could see it in his eyes, see it in his face, felt it in the way that his heart began to pound beneath her fingers.

Her mouth fell open, pleading with him to kiss her the way that she so anxiously needed him to. The heartache of their separation was still too raw, too fresh to be so self-controlled. She needed to feel him, her Richard, his passion, his love for her that was so alive within him.

Kahlan sighed contentedly as Richard immediately gave himself over to her, greedily accepting her invitation, his tongue filling her, stroking the roof of her mouth as he poured all of his love for his beloved into her.

Soon, tongues were warring for control as he leaned further over her, both hands finding her hair and holding her close, noses bumping against each other as their passion ignited.

Pulling back, Richard pressed his forehead against hers, his panting breath pulsing warmly against her face as he attempted to tamp down on his building want for her. Swallowing hard, Richard slowly opened his eyes as he pulled away from her. He was quickly stopped, however, by a hand on his arm.

"Richard please…don't stop," Kahlan panted, her eyes dark with longing. "I've missed you…so much. I thought I wouldn't make it at times when I was away from you. It was so hard to watch you in the past and not let you know that I was there, to hear your voice and not be able to talk to you, to see your pain and not hold you."

"I'm not going anywhere, Kahlan…I promise," he softly told her, kissing her again, more tenderly but with no less love. "You need to recover right now. You've been through so much, my love," he murmured as he hovered over her, gazing deeply into her eyes.

"What were you so upset about before you came in?" she softly asked, her forehead creased with worry, wanting to keep him near her.

"It's nothing you need to worry about right now," Richard attempted to brush off as nothing. "You only need to be concentrating on getting your strength back and nothing else. You're too important to me, Kahlan. I can't lose you."

"How long have I been asleep?"

"Five days," he murmured, a look of horror ghosting across his face as his bottom lip began to quiver with the words.

"Why? Why so long?" Kahlan asked, confused by the length of her recovery.

"We think that it had something to do with you giving birth in the past, especially with having to deliver twins. It was a lot of stress on you," he explained, his hand brushing away a lock of hair that had fallen across her forehead. "You've been unconscious ever since giving birth. I brought you back here to the Palace to recover."

"My girls?"

"They're fine, Kahlan…" he soothed, his fingers lightly stroking along the side of her face.

"But what about Darken Rahl? I heard you say something about him and an ultimatum?"

"You let me worry about my brother. You have one job and one job only and that is to get better. I don't want you to have a relapse. You've already frightened the life out of me as it is. I don't want to go through anything like that again."

"I'm so sorry I caused you such worry, Richard," she murmured, seeing the fear still lingering in his eyes. "What about Sister Nicci?"

"She's here," he murmured, leaning down and placing a kiss on her forehead. "But I don't want you worrying about anything, Kahlan."

Winding her fingers through his hair, she pulled him closer to her, kissing him with all of the love that she held inside for him, attempting to overpower his will with her kisses. At first, he tried to refuse returning her kisses, but quickly lost the battle. She smiled inwardly as she heard him groan, her other hand snaking up into his hair to keep him right where she wanted him.

Kahlan could feel the battle that was warring so fiercely inside of him, his need for her evident in his kiss while his hands were tentative in their touch. His lips and tongue were devouring her, his hands brushing against her at times only to finally fall to the bed, clutching at the sheets instead of her body.

"Kahlan, we can't," he panted softly as he pulled away, shaking his head, regret filling his voice as well as his eyes. "I want to…so badly…more than you possibly know, but…"

Kahlan heard the quivering in his voice and she knew that he was right, but it did nothing to lessen her desire for him. She'd been through too much since Nicci's reappearance in their life and what she needed at that moment was him.

"Richard, I'm fine," she gently told him, her fingers tracing over his cheek before cupping the side of his face. "Better than fine."

Richard immediately leaned into her touch, his eyes falling closed with the intense warmth and love of her caress. The site of his response to her touch brought a small smile to her lips as she stared at him.

"Kahlan, I want nothing more than to make passionate love to you, to prove to you just how deep my love runs for you, but it's too soon. You're too weak yet. Your legs could barely hold you up when I came in."

The sweet, gentle sound of his voice soothed the hurt of his rejection of her, knowing deep down that he was right. He was always right and it irked her at times.

Her eyes suddenly felt so very heavy as she fought to stay awake, refusing to give into sleep's pull on her. She'd been away from Richard for far too long. She didn't want to spend any more time away from him, even in sleep.

They had too much to talk about, too much that she wanted to say to him. She wanted to tell him how sorry she was for even thinking that he had been unfaithful to her with Nicci. As much as it would hurt, Kahlan needed to know that he forgave her for ever thinking that he would do something like that to her.

But sleep was quickly overpowering her, dragging her down and away from him again.

Richard caught her hand as it began to slip from his face, bringing it to his lips. The brush of his mouth against the back of her hand caused a faint smile to ghost over her face. How she wished those lips were on hers instead of her hand.

"My girls?" she murmured again, her forehead suddenly creasing with renewed concern.

She'd already forgotten what he had said about their daughters. She felt like such a horrible mother. She hadn't even been able to hold or feed her own babies, hadn't even seen her youngest daughter yet.

"They are fine and perfect and as beautiful as their mother," he told her, smiling against the back of her hand, lips caressing her skin. "Don't worry; Cara is taking care of them for us. You sleep now. When you wake, I promise I'll bring them to you."

"You had better Richard Rahl," she threateningly whispered, her eyes fluttering closed as the draw of sleep became too powerful for her to withstand any longer. "Hold me…please?"

"Always, my love," he smiled softly at the hushed sound of his name on her lips. Even as she drifted off to sleep, her voice had still held a warning note to it. He lovingly pressed his lips against her forehead. "Always," he repeated, whispering kisses along her nose and lips.

Kahlan fought to stay awake as Richard removed his clothes before climbing into bed beside her, curling up behind her. Pulling her close against his chest, she relished the feel of her husband's arms wrapped protectively around her again, the firmness of his body, the warmth of his breath on her neck, the beating of his heart.

Tears stung her eyes as sleep quickly began to envelope her, relief washing through her like a summer's rain. She was finally home with Richard and their babies.

The joy of her return, however, did little to lessen the fear that still had a strangle-hold on her soul. There was so much turmoil swarming around them with Darken Rahl ready to attack and Sister Nicci still here inside the Palace, not to mention whatever else was wrong that Richard was so obviously refusing to tell her about.

Those worries would have to wait as sleep became too powerful to fight any longer. Nestling further back into her husband's comforting embrace, Kahlan knew that as long as she had Richard, they could survive anything…


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks for the reviews! They're so appreciated! :)**

**Chapter 2**

Feeling the warmth falling across her face, she dreamed that it was the tender touch of the man that she loved, the one who would always take her heart no matter where he went. Somewhere deep in the recesses of her mind she knew that it was nothing more than the sun, but she liked her dream so much better.

She opened her eyes, blinking at the brightness of the sun that had invaded her deep slumber. Slowly she began to look around her room, attempting to orient herself while trying to understand just what had happened to her and where she was now.

Her foggy mind felt like it was still adrift in a sea of murky water, threatening to pull her down into its watery depths.

But something…something was tickling her mind, reminding her of something that had happened. Whatever it was it had been very important to her. Or was it important to someone else maybe? She hoped that all the pieces would quickly fall into place.

Her eyes scanned the room, starting from one corner and sweeping around to the other corner, taking in the furniture that filled the suite. Nothing in the room looked remotely familiar to her.

Looking down, she found that she was wearing a white nightdress, one that she had never seen before. She ran her fingers over the delicate lacing that ran along the revealing neckline, wondering who had actually been the one to put it on her.

She blushed, warmth rising to her cheeks as her thoughts were suddenly filled with him. It was to him that most of her thoughts drifted to whenever she was awake…and even when she was dreaming.

Everything was still so hazy except for her knowledge of Richard Rahl. He stuck out in her mind like a bright guiding light, a cornerstone anchoring her heart and her mind in truth. She found her heart quickening with the just the very thought of him, a sensation of love washing over her. She suddenly needed to see him.

Placing her hands on the mattress on either side of her, she carefully pushed herself up into a sitting position. Her body complained vehemently about the sudden change in position after so long in this bed, but she was determined to find the man who occupied her every thought.

Shoving back the covers, she shifted to the edge of the bed, allowing her legs to dangle over the side as she attempted to gather her bearings. As near as she could tell, she decided that she must be in the People's Palace.

The stone floor was cool beneath her feet, causing her to shiver slightly. Wrapping her arms around herself, she stopped to peer out the window. Despite its brightness, the sun had begun its descent over the distant mountains, beginning to dazzle the world with its display of pastel colors before disappearing until tomorrow morning.

Turning, she noticed a robe laid out for her over the back of a nearby chair. Picking it up, she slipped her arms through the sleeve, tying it around her waist. She was certain that she must look a fright. Spirits knew how long she had been asleep. He must be worried about her.

Running her slender fingers through her long hair, she stopped before a mirror to check her appearance. She found herself wanting to look absolutely perfect for him despite everything that had happened between them. Staring at the image looking back at her, her brow furrowed, her fingers slowly reaching for the silver collar that unexpectedly adorned her neck.

This had been the last thing that she had expected, but it also explained why she felt so unsure of herself, so out of sorts.

Gliding her fingers along the smooth steel, Nicci was stunned to find the Rada'Han around her neck, the same Rada'Han that she had forced Richard to wear when she had taken him prisoner. She felt herself begin to lose that iron-clad grip that she had always held on her emotions.

Richard still perceived her as a threat to him.

She watched as her bottom lip began to tremble slightly as tears welled up in her eyes. He didn't trust her, didn't believe that she had changed. She had fought side-by-side with him through a long, deadly battle, keeping him safe and saving his friends. She had sent him back into the past so that he could save Kahlan.

And this was how he repaid her.

As a tear slowly leaked down her cheek, Nicci watched as her eyes became hard with anger and resentment, bitterness and heartache. How could he do this to her after all that she had risked for him? He had been the only man to ever have faith in her, to treat her like a person who was valued for who she was, not what she could provide him.

Swallowing back her tears, she hung her head in shame for the flurry of angry thoughts firing in her mind. Her eyelids fell closed against the hurt that ate at her like a dark living thing in her core. She had to tame that ugly beast if she was ever going to change, if she was ever going to become what Richard knew that she could be. And for him she would.

With a sigh, Nicci looked up at the ceiling, attempting to suppress the tears that were forming. Running her fingers through her long blond hair, she drew a deep breath, doing her best to tame the tangles that had taken over during her recovery.

She was grateful for what the First Wizard had done in healing her and saving her life. He had given her the second chance that she so desperately wanted to make amends for the pain that she had caused. There was still so much to do, so much to repair.

And she knew exactly where she needed to start. She had not been completely truthful with Richard when she had told him everything that she had done to Kahlan. She was so ashamed that she had allowed all of her jealous rage to be poured out on the Mother Confessor. Kahlan hadn't deserved everything that had been done to her.

Nicci knew that Kahlan deserved to know love just as much as she did. She just wished with her whole being that it had been her that Richard had fallen in love with instead of Kahlan Amnell. But he hadn't and despite Nicci's best efforts to change that, Richard had refused to give up his love for his wife.

She should have known that Richard wouldn't have betrayed Kahlan. That was just the kind of man that he was. So noble, so honorable and so completely devoted to his wife whom he had no doubt vowed to love in this life as well as the next.

Drawing another deep breath to rein in her sadness, the Sister endeavored to pull her heart back together, to do what she knew had to be done in order to make things right. Nicci could only imagine the anguish that Richard had been going through because of what she had done and that hurt her more than anything knowing that she had been the cause of it.

She really couldn't blame Richard for not trusting her. She had sent his wife into the past, had captured him, forcing him to wear a Rada'Han, tried to seduce him and then almost got him killed in a battle that she had partially been responsible for because of her forced association with Darken Rahl. She deserved to wear the magical collar for as long as she lived.

Walking towards the door, Nicci grew anxious to find Richard, to restore what she had done to Kahlan. She had no idea how long she had been unconscious. It could have been days or weeks for all she knew, but she had to confess her sins to Richard and heal Kahlan.

They would have no idea what was afflicting the Mother Confessor, the danger that Nicci had put her in.

Reaching the door, the dark sorceress was startled to find the door locked. Yanking on the handle, she tried anxiously to get the door open.

Suddenly, the lock clicked and the door opened. Peering out into the corridor, she was stunned to find it filled with Mord'Sith as well as D'Haran soldiers, their weapons all drawn and pointed at her. She felt her heart sink as they all glared at her with such hatred in their eyes.

Nicci knew that she deserved it. Now, she just had to make them see that she was no longer their enemy.

XXX

Sipping his glass of wine, he mulled over his plans for D'Hara, the things that he would do once he had his throne back. He could only imagine the chaos and confusion that his brother was creating, all the good-will and generosity that he was showing to his people.

What his people needed was to be ruled with an iron fist, not with welcoming arms and charity, promises of wealth and prosperity.

Darken Rahl sneered at the very thought, filled with disgust. Richard had no idea how to rule a territory. All he knew was how to find his way out of a forest. That knowledge did not make him a ruler nor did it give him the right to take his throne or his territory.

He may not possess the dark magic that he'd had before his brother sent him to the Keeper, but he still had his ways of getting what he wanted.

Taking another sip, his thoughts wandered to his beautiful sister-in-law. She knew how to rule a territory even if her ideas were severely flawed. She deserved to be married to a man who was worthy of her and her beauty, her intellect and abilities.

Richard did not even know the quality of woman that he was married to. How his brother had been able to win the Mother Confessor's heart, loving her beyond her powerful magic was something that was completely incomprehensible.

Kahlan deserved someone like him, someone who could show her what it was like to be taken and dominated, someone who would teach her what it was like to be with a real man. Only then would she find and know true pleasure.

A thin smile spread across his lips, a wicked glint in his dark eyes as he imagined being with Kahlan, ripping that dress of pure white from her luscious curves, taking her the way that she deserved. He could make her feel things that she would never begin to experience with Richard.

His breathing became ragged the more his thoughts became consumed with her, lust burning through his veins. He imagined how he would have his way with her, making her scream, taking her over and over again until it was his name that tore from her delicious lips.

The sound of his name being called outside of his tent abruptly snatched him from his dark, lust-filled thoughts. He scowled in anger, grabbing the bottle of wine and pouring himself another glass before answering.

"What?" he yelled, angered by the interruption.

"Lord Rahl, Ambassador Hollis wishes to speak with you."

The sound of General Egremont's voice alone irritated him immensely at that moment, almost as much as being interrupted in his erotic fantasy. He would finish with that pleasure later tonight when he was alone again.

"Enter," Rahl growled, taking another drink of his wine as he stood to his feet.

Ambassador Hollis was starting to become a nuisance. He was beginning to wonder what he had been thinking in agreeing with this alliance with the Altaeans. He had protected them from their enemies and they in turn supported him, providing him with the supplies he needed.

Now, Jared Hollis was growing more and more demanding, insisting that they take back the People's Palace at once. Rahl had placated him once already since making their stand here in the mountains. He knew he was in for another round of tempering the man's impatience tonight, but this would be the last time.

Entering the tent, Egremont bowed low in respectful submission to his leader before allowing Hollis to enter. The Ambassador had a scowl set in his face, the candlelight in the tent flickering brightly in his eyes.

"Lord Rahl, I must speak with you," Hollis began, already in a fit of agitation and he hadn't even begun to speak his mind yet.

"What is it now, Ambassador?" Rahl growled as he set his glass of wine down on the table, his frustration still seeking release.

"What are we waiting for? We have been sitting idly by for almost a week. We should have taken the Palace by now," Hollis ranted, pacing back and forth, waving his hands furiously in the air.

As the Ambassador spoke his mind, Rahl's patience continued to wear thinner and thinner. Settling back down in his chair once more, he crossed his arms over his chest, imaging the pleasure he would take in running the man through with his sword, gutting him and leaving the man's blood to soak the earth beneath his body. He was just trying to decide if he should run the man through now or wait until after he had his throne back.

Stroking the patch of hair on his chin, Rahl finally decided to wait. He unfortunately needed this man's assistance and it infuriated him to no end. He never really had to depend on others, relying on his cunning intellect and his dark magic. Now, he was without the magic he'd once had, but he still had his mind.

Glaring at the incensed man before him, he decided that he'd finally had enough. Standing to his feet, Rahl rose to his full commanding height. His eyes were like steel daggers, cutting through the Ambassador's hostile posturing, causing the man to stop in mid-sentence.

Staring wide-eyed at the former Ruler of D'Hara, Hollis's mouth suddenly snapped shut, the fine hairs on the back of his neck standing on end. There was an invisible line and he had just found it, leaping feet first right across it. Despite what he could provide Darken Rahl, he suddenly knew beyond a doubt that he was not irreplaceable.

"The men…you see…the men, they're getting…well, restless…" Hollis stammered over his words, sweat glistening on his brow despite the chilly winter night's air.

Coming to stand almost toe-to-toe with him, Darken Rahl stood silently before him, glowering at him, allowing his close proximity to have its full affect on the man who was starting to wither before him like a flower beneath the blazing sun.

After several heart beats, Rahl finally spoke.

"Sit down."

The iciness in his voice sent a chill through Hollis, causing him to shudder. He immediately sank into the chair behind him, suddenly regretting his decision in coming to see the dark lord.

Rahl suddenly lunged at him, placing his hands on the arms of the chair, blocking the Ambassador's escape. Despite Hollis's large size, Rahl suddenly loomed dark and menacing above him. He was like the reincarnation of the Keeper himself, controlling the balance between life and death.

Hollis let out a gasp of shock at Rahl's sudden action. His heart began pounding fiercely in his chest as he leaned in even closer. His blood felt like icy needles in his veins despite Rahl's hot breath smelling of wine and pulsating against his face.

"Now, what were you complaining about Ambassador?" he asked, his voice coming out much calmer than Hollis would have expected.

"I…I was just wondering what your plan of attack was," Hollis whispered in wide-eyed fear, his voice as well as his courage vanishing.

"Not that it's any of your concern, but I am allowing my dear little brother to squirm inside of my Palace, getting use to my throne all the while worrying about when I will strike or what I will do next as he sleeps with his wife in my bed. He most likely expected us to attack the moment we made our presence known. I'm doing the opposite of what he thinks that I'll do. We wait."

"For what, if I might ask?"

"You'll know it when it happens. Just take comfort that I plan on making Richard pay dearly for his actions. And I'm going to start with his wife," he replied, finally pulling away from the man as he began pacing back and forth before him, stroking his chin.

"Besides, I've already sent an ultimatum to my brother. I'm just waiting for his response," Rahl wickedly smiled down at the man as he grabbed his glass of wine.

"What kind of ultimatum?"

"One that I know that he will never accept, but I sent it just the same because I want it to strike fear in his heart. I want him to know that I am coming for his wife and his daughters. I want him to look out his window day after day, afraid of when I might decide to strike and take away what he loves most," Rahl proudly announced. "I told him I would let him live if he sends me Kahlan Amnell."

"He will never give her up and definitely not to save his own life," Hollis frowned, stunned by such a foolish plan.

"I know he won't give her up without a fight, but he will be able to think of little else once he knows I'm coming for her," he replied, stopping to take another drink of his wine, arm sweeping out to the side. "So, you can tell all of your 'restless' men that we wait!"

"As you wish, my Lord."

"Good, I want the men to begin getting things in place under the direction of General Egremont at first light, but no one is to act until I say so. I will take my throne back even if I have to tear that Palace down brick by bloody brick."

"Yes, my Lord. I'll see to it at once."

Hollis slowly rose from his chair, praying for a quick exit with his life still intact.

"And one more thing, Ambassador," Rahl evenly began, his back still to Hollis. "Don't ever question me again or you'll come to know my version of what pain and suffering truly means."

Hollis blanched with Darken Rahl's words, nausea washing over him at the thought. "Yes, my Lord," he mumbled as he scurried from the tent, relieved to be away from him.

Rahl smiled to himself, bringing the goblet to his lips as he continued thinking through his plans for his brother and his wife…


	3. Chapter 3

**Rating this update "M" just in case! You've been warned... :)**

**Chapter 3**

Kahlan suddenly lunged forward out of a dead sleep, her heart thundering wildly, her chest heaving with a horror she'd never known before. It felt as if her whole world had just collapsed around her, crumbling beyond her control or repair. She couldn't catch her breath. Everything that she loved, that she held dear had just suddenly slipped through her fingers.

Richard. Her babies. Her friends. Her Midlands. And now D'Hara. Gone…all gone forever.

She couldn't stop shaking, her body held prisoner with the panic that raged through her body like a tempest at sea. Tears slipped down her cheeks as she drew her knees up, wrapping her arms around them as she rocked back in forth in a futile attempt to console herself.

"Kahlan?"

The sound of his voice brought her a small unexpected respite from the firestorm that was suddenly suffocating the life out of her. She wasn't certain what had exactly triggered the panic attack, no nightmare or dream that she could pinpoint or remember.

It was more of a feeling, a sensation that had taken over, assaulting her. All she knew was that she couldn't stop crying, couldn't stop shaking. She curled herself up into a protective ball in a futile attempt to keep out whatever was assaulting her.

"Kahlan, what's wrong?"

Covering her face with her hands, she sobbed hysterically, unable to bear looking at him for fear he would disappear. Strong arms suddenly wrapped themselves around her, bringing her protectively into his embrace. She quickly buried her face in his neck as she cried.

Something was terribly wrong, but she didn't know what it was except that she had an overwhelming sense of terror.

She knew that she had startled Richard out of his sleep, but she couldn't help it. She hated to cause him to worry about her, but she was quickly losing control. She couldn't stop trembling, couldn't catch her breath.

"Kahlan, please talk to me. What's wrong? I want to help you."

She felt him stroking her back as he leaned down and kissed the top of her head, his chest becoming wet with her tears as he held her against him. Trying desperately to regain control, Kahlan pulled back enough to stare into his eyes. Her hands immediately grasped his face, holding him there as if half expecting him to vanish if she didn't hold onto him with everything she had.

"I…I don't know…" she choked out between hiccoughing gasps for air. "I just felt as if I had lost you…lost everything that I love."

"You aren't going to lose me, Kahlan. I'm not going anywhere without you with me," he promised, gently grasping her wrists and pulling her hands from his face.

The reassuring feeling of his hands holding hers began to calm her as he brought them up to his lips to brush loving kisses across her knuckles, his eyes locked solely on hers. Her bottom lips trembled uncontrollably, tears continuing to fall down her cheeks.

"Don't ever leave me, Richard," she softly gasped, fighting against the pull of anguish. "Please…please, Richard…"

"Shhh, I will never leave you, Kahlan. I love you more than anything in this world," he tenderly replied.

Holding her firmly against him, she allowed him to lie back down, bringing her with him. He held her tightly against him as her breathing began to even out. Her heart continued to thump wildly in her chest despite his protective embrace.

He tenderly placed a kiss on her forehead, releasing his hold on her long enough to kiss his way down her perfect nose. Her shuddering breaths were slowing down as his kisses began to quiet the storm that possessed her heart.

Rolling her onto her back, he repeatedly brushed his mouth against hers, slowly teasing her lips with his kisses, his tongue darting out to taste her. Her hands caressed the stubble lining his jaw before sliding into his hair, her fingers wrapping the strands tightly in her grip.

Kahlan was not about to let him go this time.

Parting her lips, she invited him in, more than pleased when he readily accepted. She moaned deeply as he moved to lie over her, his arms supporting his weight above her. The feel of his nude form through her thin satin nightdress was causing her heart to race with a fierce need for him instead of the panic that had awakened her.

As anxious as she was to see her newborn daughters, she just as equally needed her husband right now, not only his love but also the reassurance that only he could bring her.

Kahlan swiftly raised her hips to meet his, desperate to feel him moving within her, igniting her passion to burn so hotly throughout her body. She smiled against his lips as he growled with the sudden contact with her, his hand immediately grazing down her side until he found her thigh.

He was driving her mad with an overwhelming need to be connected with him in the most blissful expression of their love. His strong hand was quickly building her pleasure to almost unbearable heights as he caressed her though the satin material.

Kahlan could tell that Richard was still somewhat hesitant in his movement, but she also knew that he could not deny her himself again. Once had been once too often.

"Yes…Richard…please…don't stop…" she panted and pleaded with him, hoping that the sultry sound of her voice would push him past his fears of hurting her, further igniting his need for her.

His hand swiftly snaked up beneath her nightdress, bunching it up around her waist before returning to her knee. He drew her leg up as he kissed and nipped along the slender column of her neck, his touch losing some of its tentativeness.

Releasing a hand from his hair, she reached between them, pulling the low neckline of her nightdress down even further, allowing him access to her breasts. She was thrilled when Richard swiftly took her offering into his mouth, gasping loudly with pleasure as he began to ravage her.

She squirmed with the aching pleasure throbbing through her body that was quickly settling into her pelvis as she repeatedly arched her back, her body demanding that he take her now.

He suddenly, swiftly buried himself within her hot depths, hissing at the feeling of rapture that came with finally being inside of his beloved once more. Spirits, it had been too long she thought as she attempted to catch the breath he had just stolen, accommodating to his intrusion into her body. She smiled with pleasure as he buried his face in the crook of her neck, squeezing his eyes shut in order to keep from coming right then.

Finally, he slowly began to move within her, causing her to cry out in pleasure with each and every measured stroke. Her fingers quickly found the well-defined muscles of his back, kneading and digging into his flesh as she urged him on, causing him to moan in response as her lips and teeth found his throat.

Kahlan could tell that he was attempting to keep the pace slow and steady but the way she was grinding her hips into him combined with the way her nails were raking over his back was rapidly overpowering him, swiftly propelling him towards climax.

Richard was no longer able to hold himself back as he began driving into her, connecting with her core with such force it was taking her breath away and making her swoon with indescribable bliss. Spirits, she had missed him so much, missed this intimate connection, the fierce passionate exchange with the one who owned her heart and soul.

Kahlan suddenly came for him with a scream of his name, her magic tearing through them both with the intensity of their combined release as she took him over the precipice along with her. His head fell against her shoulder as he collapsed in exhaustion on top of her quivering form.

Tears leaked from his eyes as he kissed her throat, whispering his love for her over and over again. She gently shushed his fears as she stroked his moist flesh, allowing him to feel the comfort of her embrace, lending him the strength that he needed as he recovered.

"I…I shouldn't have made love to you," he hoarsely murmured, his breathing ragged from his intense release. "It was too soon. It's just that I love you so much…I couldn't stop myself…"

"Forever, my love," she sweetly murmured. "And you didn't hurt me. You never could hurt me when you're showing me how much you love me. It only makes me love you more."

Relieved, Richard finally rolled off of her, pulling her over to rest against him as he ran his fingers through her long hair, their moist flesh cooling from their passionate high.

"Now, tell me," he gently began as he drew lazy circles over her back. "What had you so upset when I woke up? Was it a nightmare?"

"No, I don't think so. I don't know exactly," she softly replied as she caressed his abdomen, her fingers following the carved dips and curves of his perfectly toned muscles. "I just woke up in a panic. I was so terrified that I couldn't breathe or stop shaking."

"Are you alright now?"

"Yes, a little better."

"I thought I was better than that," he lightly teased her as he began to play with her hair.

Kahlan chuckled softly, kissing his chest. "You were amazing, Richard," she told him, her voice sounding fully sated. "You always ignite the passion that lives inside of me for you."

Smiling with her words, he leaned down and kissed the top her head. Rolling onto his side so he could face her, he softly traced the outline of her face as he stared into her eyes.

"Kahlan, I may not be around very much the next few days," he began. "Things with my brother are rapidly escalating. I fear we'll be at war before the day is over."

"Richard, please don't worry about me. I'm fine now. You worry about staying safe and saving D'Hara. That's all that matters right now. I just wish there was something I could do to help you."

"You can help me by staying alive. I will always worry about you, Kahlan Rahl. You're the very center of my whole world. How could I not be always thinking about you, wondering if you're safe, if you're happy or sad, or thinking of me when I'm thinking about you?"

"You are never far from my thoughts, Richard. I carry you everywhere I go…right here," she told him, taking his hand and placing it over her heart.

He smiled softly at her, leaning in and kissing her. "Just please stay here in our suite where it's safe. Don't leave the main Palace to go into the market or anything. Please, Kahlan, for me."

"Alright, Richard," she readily promised, somewhat taken aback by the urgency in his voice. "I will stay here if that's what you wish."

She watched as Richard's face visibly relaxed some with her reassurance, but fear still clouded his warm brown eyes. There was something more that he was not telling her, something that she feared.

"Thank you," he murmured, kissing her once more. "I can't bear the thought of losing you again."

"Just promise me that you'll be careful as well."

"I will because I have you, but especially now that we have two beautiful daughters who need their parents."

"I want to see them, Richard," she softly said, tears filling her eyes. "I haven't even gotten to hold them yet."

"Wait here, my love. I'll go get them from Cara and bring them to you."

Kissing her on the forehead, Richard got out of their bed. Slipping his sleeping pants on, he quickly left their bedchambers to retrieve their newborn babies.

Kahlan sank back into the pillows, elated with the thought of finally holding her precious little daughters. Her eyes wandered to the window, watching as the sun began to rise over the mountains in the distance.

It was heartbreaking to think that she had missed out on five days of her daughters' lives, five precious days of holding them, feeding and caring for them the way a mother ought to. They didn't even know their mother yet.

It caused tears to well up in her eyes, a tugging sense of loss and guilt attempting to pull her under once more, but she refused to give in this time. She was awake now and she was not about to miss another day away from them ever again.

It was difficult to believe that she had awakened yesterday feeling so fragile and weak. Sleeping in Richard's arms, making love with him this morning had brought her a renewed sense of peace, grounding her in that unique way of his. She felt so much more alive than she had yesterday despite the sheer panic that had seized when she woke this morning.

Kahlan couldn't stop the grin that suddenly touched her lips as the door slowly opened, revealing Richard dressed only in his sleeping pants with a pink little bundle in each of his strong arms. The proud smile that lit his face set her heart to pounding once more.

She quickly sat up, positioning the pillows behind her back to support her. She flipped back the covers, allowing Richard to slide back in beside her.

"This is Paige," he proudly told her, gently handing his wife a tiny baby with hair as dark as her own.

Kahlan carefully took her daughter into her arms, cradling her tenderly as she peered down at the beautiful little face peeking out of the blanket. She gently ran the tip of her finger across her cheek and down the nose that looked so much like hers.

Tears were suddenly blurring her view before leaking from her eyes. She couldn't stop smiling as she stared at the wonder she held so protectively in her arms, the wonder that she and Richard had created together.

"Hi there, sweetheart," she whispered, leaning down and placing a soft kiss on her forehead.

The smell of her daughter, freshly bathed and dressed caused a wave of tranquility to drift through her. She ran her fingers over the pink blanket that she had bought two months ago in preparation for her babies' arrival, so thrilled that they were finally here.

Paige slowly opened her eyes, blinking back the sleep that had gripped her tiny form. Her little fingers quickly snatched hold of Kahlan's as she caressed her daughter's cheek. Kahlan couldn't stop the laughter that escaped her lips, amazed by her daughter's strong grasp.

"You're right, Richard," she murmured, turning to look at him through her tears. "She's perfect in every way."

"Just like their mother," he tenderly replied, kissing her softly before handing over his other daughter. "And this is…"

"Priya," Kahlan gasped with joy at the sight of her youngest.

"No, Kahlan," Richard said as he shook his head, his forehead wrinkled in confusion. "This is Piper. Remember, I wanted to name her Priya but you didn't care for that name so we agreed on Piper."

"What?" she asked in bewilderment and shock, her mind suddenly freezing with his words.

Kahlan remembered the day like it had just happened yesterday. They had been lying in bed after making love, him lying behind her. His head was settled on her shoulder as they discussed names for the twins. They had laughed and playfully argued for hours, Richard continually offering names that were beyond believable choices for their daughters, but enjoying her reaction to his suggestions none the less.

After much debate, they had finally settled on Paige and Priya. They had both loved those names, feeling even more connected to their unborn daughters now that they had names.

She remembered discussing the name Piper, but she didn't remember ever telling him that she didn't like the name Priya. In fact, she had loved the name. When she had given birth to their second child, Richard had held her up, proudly announcing Priya's arrival.

Looking into his face so full of panic, Kahlan knew that something was terribly wrong. He was not teasing her; this was no joke.

"Remember, Kahlan?" he gently began, sitting up straighter, worry brimming in his eyes. "We made love and then discussed names for the girls for hours."

"Yes," she replied, her heart beginning to race with alarm. "We had talked about Paige and Priya and we both loved those names. We never picked the name Piper."

"No, you didn't like the name Priya. You said that you preferred Piper better so that's what we chose to use."

Kahlan could see confusion as well as fear begin to fill Richard' face as he stared at her. Something was wrong with her not to remember the names they had chosen for their daughters. They had talked about it for weeks after they had decided.

Looking down at her daughter's face, Kahlan felt her own sense of fear rising within her. Staring at the tuft of hair and the nose that was so obviously Richard's, she immediately fell in love with her daughter no matter what her name was going to be.

"Piper," she softly whispered in wonder, trying out the name that was now so new to her. "Hi, Piper. You look just like your daddy."

Richard smiled at Kahlan's words, relief beginning to wash over him despite the fear that still had an obvious death-grip on his heart. He softly cupped Kahlan's cheek, forcing her to look him in the eye.

"Kahlan, are you sure you're alright? If you don't like the name Piper, we can change it. I'll do whatever you want," he told her, still worried about her as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder to stare down at his daughters.

"No…no, Piper is perfect. I must have just forgotten that's all," she softly replied, worried about what else she didn't remember.

"Thank you for my girls, Kahlan. They're so beautiful, just like you. It's the greatest gift next to you that I have ever received," he murmured as he kissed her temple.

"Thank you for giving them to me. I love you, Richard."

"I love you too, Kahlan."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Caressing her daughter's cheek as Piper nursed at her breast, Kahlan couldn't imagine happiness ever being any better than this. The birth of her twin daughters had been nothing short of a miracle, an experience that she would never forget.

Sharing that moment with Richard had only made it that much more magical. Despite all the pain and discomfort, the inconvenience or the fact that she had been unable to remove her own boots, Kahlan knew that she would do it all over again in a heartbeat.

In fact, she couldn't wait to be carrying Richard's child again. The corners of her lips turned up at the thought that she and Richard could've created another baby yesterday morning when he had made love to her.

She knew that Richard had been worried about being with her so soon after giving birth and being unconscious for so long, but she had been more than anxious to feel his body moving with hers, touching her in places that only he was allowed to touch her, and exciting her in ways that were beyond anything she could have ever dreamed about.

He had been beside himself after making love, so afraid that he had hurt her with the intensity of his passion, but she loved it when he lost control like that, unable to hold himself back or control the force with which he took her. It spoke of his endless depths of his love of her, the intensity with which he loved her.

She loved the times when he loved her slowly and with such tenderness that it brought tears to hers eyes with its sweet affection, setting a steady rhythm that deliberately built her pleasure at an agonizingly slow pace and holding her right at that precipice where she felt like she was about to erupt if he didn't allow her the release he had built her towards. It was that long, drawn out love making that sent shivers of desire pulsating through her body, making her feel faint.

Then there were the times when he was forceful and dominating, ravaging her with a searing passion so intense that she thought that they would be consumed in its flames, engulfing her in the overwhelming sensations that he was creating within her body, causing her to feel things that she never knew a woman could or should be allowed to feel.

Kahlan felt the familiar fluttering in the pit of her stomach every time she thought about him, every time that their eyes met. She never understood what it meant to love or be loved like this until Richard.

Gazing back down at the baby nursing in her arms, she was once again overcome with emotion for the two little gifts her Richard had given her.

Noticing that Piper had finally finished and had drifted off to sleep, Kahlan adjusted her dress. Moving to the bassinet, she carefully laid her little girl down, trying her best not to wake her.

Richard had warned her that their daughters had a set of lungs that rivaled no other and that they both fought hard against sleep's powerful pull on their little bodies. And he had been right.

Smiling down at the sleeping bundle, she could see so much of her Richard in their daughter. She was such the strong fighter, stubborn and strong-willed. Leaning down, she brushed her lips against her brow before leaving her daughters to sleep.

Entering their bedchambers, Kahlan rubbed her arms, noticing the chill that had settled in the room while she had been nursing her daughters. Ever since waking yesterday, she found that she could not get warm.

Lingering feelings of dread continued to haunt her, a sense of panic suddenly rising out of nowhere as if warning her that something was wrong, something was about to happen. She hated that feeling that threatened to overshadow the joy that their babies had brought them.

Walking over to the fireplace, she added more wood to the fire, hopeful that Richard might return soon. He had left yesterday morning, working with Commander Holland as they prepared for the eminent attack by Darken Rahl. He had returned long after she had fallen asleep, gone this morning before she had woken.

The only sign that he had even been there with her last night had been the crumpled sheets on his side of the bed and the pile of yesterday's clothes he had left on the floor. She missed him so much already, but she knew that this was not going to be over any time soon.

She had promised Richard that she would stay with their twins in their suite where he felt that they would be safest, but it was already growing difficult. She was finding it hard to occupy her time, waiting for news of any sort about what was happening outside of the Palace walls, hoping to see her husband soon.

She had slept a good portion of the afternoon which had helped her gain back some more of her energy, but it had also made her more anxious to spend some time with Richard. She was already growing restless and it had only been a little over a day and half since they had made love.

It was so unlike her to not be doing something. Either taking confessions or overseeing matters of dispute, the Mother Confessor's duties were never over. Even here in D'Hara, Kahlan had taken on many responsibilities that had quickly occupied her time.

Now, though, Richard had her cooped up in their suite with nothing to do but recover and tend to her babies. And it wasn't that she didn't adore being a mother, but she was accustomed to doing so much more, of being on the sidelines with the men, fighting and defending, not hiding away in some room in the Palace like some helpless woman.

She was far from helpless.

Sighing deeply, Kahlan came to stand before the window, hoping to catch a glimpse of Richard. The sky was quickly darkening, allowing her little chance of seeing him. Gazing out over the mountains, she felt a shudder of dread suddenly wash through her again.

It was the same sudden feeling she had experienced yesterday morning that had caused the panic attack that had besieged her, the same lingering sensation that had clung to her since then but had subsided some.

She shivered at the memory of the crushing sense of dread that had taken hold of her, snatching hold of her mind and wiping away all logic. She'd had no control over it, had barely been able to rein in those emotions that had crashed so unexpectedly down upon her.

If it hadn't been for Richard being there at her side, she didn't know how she would have gotten through it. He was her anchor, holding her securely in the midst of the tempest that had surrounded her. Staring out the window now, she missed the other half of her soul.

The sound of voices in their greeting room suddenly stirred her from her thoughts. It sounded like Richard and a woman, but it didn't sound like Cara, though. Anxious to see her husband, she made her way to the greeting room, grasping the handle and opening the door.

Kahlan came to an abrupt stop at the site before her. Richard was standing there talking with Sister Nicci, the dark sorceress who had cast her into the past, who had captured Richard to take as her own. She was here, in her suite talking with her husband.

Suddenly noticing Kahlan's appearance in the room, Richard turned to look at his wife, a look of horror and rage so evident on her beautiful face. Her eyes were flashing with fury, her breathing already becoming labored. Her fists were clenched tightly at her side as she stood transfixed by the Sister of the Dark standing in the room with her.

Richard was immediately at her side, grasping her by the shoulders, attempting to pull her focus away from Nicci and back on him.

"Kahlan," he firmly said. "Kahlan, listen to me. It's alright. Nicci is on our side now."

Despite Richard standing in front of her, Kahlan kept her heated gaze locked on the sorceress, her anger burning a hole straight through the woman. How could Richard allow this evil witch to even stay in the Palace let alone be in their suite after everything she had done to them? How could he trust her?

Without a second thought, Kahlan tried to push her way past Richard to get to Nicci, bent on removing her from their home. Richard immediately tightened his hold on her, taken aback by the sudden strength she displayed. He quickly moved to hold her back, fearing that she might slip into ConDar and confess everyone on the entire floor of the Palace.

"Kahlan!" he finally yelled, trying desperately to get her attention. "Listen to me. Nicci is no longer a threat to us. She wants to help us defeat Darken Rahl."

"How…how can you possibly believe her?" Kahlan shouted at him, tears filling her eyes with the extent of her anger. "She sent me to the past; she captured you so she could have you for herself. She admitted that she loved you, wanted you."

"I know, but Nicci has come to realize that I only love you, that I will never love anyone but you. Do you understand me, Kahlan? I only love you. Nicci wants to do what is right now. She wants to help us defeat those who are out to destroy us."

"And you believe her?"

Kahlan could barely grasp what she was hearing. She watched as Nicci lowered her eyes under the Mother Confessor's enraged glare, appearing to be full of remorse but it brought little comfort to the new mother and wife of the Lord Rahl.

Nicci had made it very clear that she wanted Richard and Kahlan knew the Sister of the Dark well enough to know that she would stop at nothing to get what she wanted, even going so far as to gain the Seeker's trust in order to achieve her goals.

"She can't be trusted, Richard," Kahlan hissed, breathing heavily as she attempted to regain control of the emotions exploding inside of her.

"Nicci has proven herself to me. She sent me back into the past so that I could rescue you. She helped me get you back," he desperately tried to explain to her.

"She's just trying to win your trust so she can take you away from me again," she growled, trying once again to get past Richard, only to feel his powerful grasp tighten even more on her arms.

The whole time she was in the past, Kahlan had sworn to herself that she would make sure Nicci would not be allowed to interfere in their lives ever again. And here she was being welcomed into their lives, into their home by the one man the sorceress wanted most.

"Please, Kahlan, trust me. If you can't trust her, trust me," he pleaded with her.

"Let me confess her and then I'll be more than willing to trust her," Kahlan seethed as she raised her outstretched hand towards the dark sorceress.

"Kahlan, stop it!" he angrily yelled at her, snatching hold of her hand in his iron grip.

Startled, Kahlan turned her fiery glare on her husband, grinding her teeth. How could he defend this woman who had tried to hurt them, tried to destroy their lives? Was he choosing Nicci over his own wife?

"Fine, if this is what you want so badly," Kahlan sneered in a deadly voice that cut like glass.

Jerking her arms free from his grasp, Kahlan spun on her heel, slamming the door closed behind her. She took a few steps before falling to her knees, her hands covering her face as a sob escaped her lips.

How could Richard do this to her? Didn't he love her? Had Nicci seduced him, capturing his heart while she'd had him all to herself?

Kahlan couldn't bear the thought.

Heartbroken sobs filled the room, muffling the sound of the door opening and closing behind her. She suddenly felt arms wrapping around her and before she knew it, her face was buried in Richard's chest, her hands fisting his shirt so fiercely.

Kneeling on the floor before her, Richard held her close, stroking her hair and rubbing her back, placing a kiss to her temple.

"It's alright, Kahlan. I'm not going anywhere. I won't let Nicci do anything to destroy what we've worked so hard to have together," he gently soothed her.

"Then why are you allowing her to stay here? She's a threat to us, Richard," she cried in anguish and disbelief. "Why are you doing this to us?"

"Kahlan, I truly believe that Nicci has changed," he told her as he cradled her face in his hands, his thumbs wiping away her tears.

"I'm sorry, Richard, but I can't trust her, not after everything she has done," she bitterly replied, her hands gripping his wrists as he held her face.

"I don't expect you to, Kahlan. I only want you to trust me, okay?"

Leaning in, Richard began to pepper her face with kisses, starting with her brow, kissing his way down her nose to one cheek and then the other before finding her lips.

Kahlan moaned softly when his lips finally touched hers, melting away a small measure of the heartache that gripped her. Pressing her forehead against his, she took his face in her hands as well. Closing her eyes, she reached deep within herself to find the courage to ask the question that had haunted her ever since Nicci's appearance.

"Richard, please…I have to know. Did anything happen between you and Nicci while I was trapped in the past?"

"Kahlan…"

"It's not that I don't trust you, Richard. I trust you with my whole being, but I don't trust her. Nicci is very beautiful…very seductive and powerful. I can understand how you…if you…"

Unable to meet his gaze or finish the words that were so bitter on her tongue, her anguish hung thickly in the air between them, attempting to push them apart and destroy what they held most precious.

The only sound in the room was Kahlan's tears as they fell, her erratic breathing as she waited in dreaded silence for the answer that she feared receiving most. She had no idea how she would even begin to cope if he had given himself, his love to another.

Tears fell faster and harder with the agonizing thought and when she didn't think she could wait another moment, she felt fingers beneath her chin, lifting her head and forcing her to look at him.

Through tear-filled eyes she gazed into the warm brown orbs of her husband, tears pooling in the corners as he stared at her. She felt her heart hammering wildly beneath her breast, fearful that those eyes held tears of regret, tears of shame.

Her bottom lip quivered as she drew a shuddering breath, bracing herself for the words that she knew she would not survive hearing.

"Kahlan, I would sooner take my life with my own hands than ever betray you or our love in that way. I love you and no one else. There is no one more beautiful, more seductive to me than you. Do you believe me?" he gently asked, brushing her hair back and hooking it behind her ear.

Kahlan slowly nodded her head, startled by the sincerity of his words and the truth mirrored in his eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Richard," she whispered, so ashamed for having ever doubted her husband's faithfulness to her. "You're my life. I just can't bear the thought of losing you, of you being with another woman."

"I couldn't possibly love anyone but you because you stole my heart the day we met. It's been yours ever since and I never want it back."

"I love you, Richard," she murmured as she brushed her nose tenderly against his.

"And I love you."

Kahlan buried her hands in his hair, pulling him closer as he suddenly rose up on his knees, his hands firmly gripping her face. She tilted her head back as his tongue filled her mouth, her hair falling down her back as he kissed her with such passion it took her breath away.

Responding to his kiss, she rose up on her knees as well before suddenly pushing him back to the floor. Richard readily accepted the change in position, her hair cascading down around his face.

A throaty groan sprung to his lips as she yanked his shirt from his pants, her hands slipping beneath the material, her fingers digging into his hardened flesh as she placed her knees on either side of his hips.

Settling over him, Kahlan could feel him rapidly responding to her, his hips bucking up to meet her. Pulling his hands from her hips, she interlocked their fingers before leaning over him and pinning his arms above his head.

A wicked smile spread across her face as she saw his eyes darken with wanton need for her, his lips parting as his breath hitched when her breasts pressed against his chest.

Hovering above him, Kahlan allowed his frustration and desire to build, her tongue sneaking out to glide across her lower lip. The feel of his hips suddenly rising up to grind against her caused her head to fall back with mounting pleasure.

Looking back down at him, she brushed her nose against his, coming as close to kissing him as possible without actually connecting with him. Richard quickly raised his head, obvious desperation to taste her rising as rapidly as his heated need to fill her.

Kahlan just as quickly pulled back just enough to taunt him with her nearness without actually allowing him the contact he so fiercely wanted.

A frustrated growl filled her ears as she bent down to tease him again, this time lightly brushing her lips against his. She continued to taunt him, toying so seductively with him as he repeatedly attempted to capture her lips only to be denied, finding her just beyond his reach.

Kahlan was more than determined to show him just how much she loved him, how much she needed him and that no other woman could bring him pleasure like she could.

Soon his chest was heaving with sexual frustration, his hips rising rhythmically, begging her to allow him entrance into her sweet warmth. Kahlan could tell that he was drawing closer and closer to the edge as sweat began to glisten on his forehead and he hadn't even entered her yet.

Flashing him a devilish smile, Kahlan inched closer once more, allowing her breath to pulse against his lips. This time, however, Richard had anticipated her move and was able to seize her lips before she could back away, taking her by surprise.

He swiftly broke free from her hold on his hands, immediately wrapping his arms around her and pulling her flush against his body. Flipping them over, Richard grinned wickedly at her, his eyes gleaming with revenge, much to Kahlan's delight…


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Sighing contentedly, Kahlan opened her eyes, a smile already lighting her face. Her hands automatically drifted to the space beside her to find nothing but cool sheets where her husband had been earlier. Bring her fingers to her mouth, she brushed her fingertips over her lips, the tingle left behind from his heated kisses still lingering there, the faint taste of him still on her tongue.

They had made love, her to him and him to her, so heated and intense that the memory alone of last night was beginning to make her heart race again. The feel of him repeatedly rising up to meet her, her hands steadying herself on his firm chest as her fingers dug into his flesh had been intensely erotic as they had made love on the floor of their bedchambers.

They had finally found their way to their bed only to succumb again to the fiery passion of moments earlier. They had both been insatiable last night, resting only long enough to catch their breaths. Love both whispered and cried out in the heat of climax still echoed in her ears causing her pulse to quicken even more.

Love…forever.

Something about those words suddenly tickled her mind, something that had bothered her earlier, but she had not noticed it at the time. She had told Richard twice that she loved him and both times he said that he loved her too, but had not said "forever" like they had always done in the past.

Her brow creased as she thought about it, wondering how he had forgotten something that had become their own small way of declaring their love for one another. It was something that had been simple but had become important to both of them.

The word "forever" held so much more meaning than it ever had before she had met and married Richard. Their love was always affirmed with the word, sealing it with the promise of its eternality, knowing that what they had together may not have ever been if not for Richard's infinite love for her.

How could he have forgotten the word that held as much meaning to them as love did? Maybe he had just been so consumed with everything that had been going on with Rahl camped outside their door. That had to be it.

The sudden stirrings of her daughter in the other room brought Kahlan out of her reverie. Climbing out of bed, she reached for her robe, wrapping it around her as she went to tend to her baby whose whimpering was quickly escalating into a wail.

Opening the door, Kahlan found Piper had wiggled free from her blanket, her little hands fisted tightly, her face scrunched up in displeasure. Peering over at the other bassinet, Paige was thankfully still sleeping soundly, completely oblivious to her sister's growing tirade.

Leaning over, Kahlan picked up her howling daughter, scooping her up into her arms along with the blanket. Holding her to her chest, Kahlan cradled her head, quickly leaving the nursery and closing the door behind her.

"Hey, what's this all about?" Kahlan tenderly cooed, patting her back as she began to pace the room, still amazed by how small her babies were.

As huge as she felt when she had been carrying them, they were so much smaller than she would have imagined them to be. Of course, they didn't feel this small when she had delivered them.

Placing a kiss on the crown of her head, Kahlan wandered over to the window, the sun shining brightly and flooding the room. Squinting, she looked out over the wintery landscape coated in white, the sun creating a glare off of the snow.

"Let's see if we can find your daddy," Kahlan softly told her youngest, resting her cheek on top her daughter's head.

Form her vantage point, Kahlan could make out the numerous tents of Darken Rahl's army in that speckled the distant pristine landscape. She wished that there was something that she could do to help, but she knew that was the last thing that Richard needed right now. He didn't need to be worrying about her too.

Looking down into the central courtyard, Kahlan could see soldiers scurrying about, gathering necessary supplies in preparation for the inevitable. It was difficult to be gazing down upon the men who would most likely lose their lives in the coming days ahead just to protect her, her friends and family as well as the people of D'Hara.

She felt her heart constrict with sadness, knowing that these men would not be returning to their families, their lovers, their lives. Some of them would not see next week, next spring, next anything.

Tears began to collect in her eyes at the thought of these brave young soldiers sacrificing their lives all for her and Richard, for D'Hara. She swore to herself that their loss would not be in vain.

Peering back down at the baby in her arms, she gently caressed Piper's cheek, an unnerving sensation unexpectedly settling over her.

"Priya…"

The whispered name was sweet on her lips as she smiled softly at her daughter, joy flooding her as she stroked the brown hair that resembled her father's. She loved her daughters no matter what their names were, but something in her heart told her that this was right.

"Piper…"

She whispered the name as she lovingly gazed at her daughter, a chill suddenly tingling over her, causing the fine hairs to prickle on her neck. That feeling of dread rose up from within her core as her heart began to pound.

Leaning over, she pressed her lips to her daughter's forehead in an attempt to diminish the swirling tempest that had taken up residence in her soul since waking two days ago.

"I love you, my daughter," Kahlan murmured as tears tracked down her cheeks. "No matter what your name is, I love you with all my heart."

Entering the nursery, Kahlan settled into her chair and began rocking Piper back to sleep. She watched as her eyelids grew heavy once more, fluttering and fighting to stay awake.

"You're such my little warrior, aren't you, Piper?" she smiled softly at the bundle in her arms.

Spirits, what had happened to her while she had been unconscious?

Kahlan had hoped that it was just the lingering effects of being in the past and from having given birth to twins, but now she had a gnawing feeling that it was much more than that. She had a sudden thought.

Cara…she would know if there was something going on, if Nicci had put some sort of a spell on Richard. The Mord'Sith had become their most trusted friend and ally, like a sister to Kahlan. She would never trust Nicci so completely like Richard had.

With a plan in mind, Kahlan relaxed a bit as she rocked her daughter, holding her close as she fought to keep her sanity. Things felt so turned upside down, rattling her to her core. And it didn't help that Richard didn't quite seem like himself.

Kahlan was sure it had to be the stress of leading a territory, especially one that was about to go to war. She knew how personally Richard took responsibilities such as this, especially knowing that lives would be lost.

Tilting her head back to rest against the rocking chair, she felt a small sense of comfort drift through her, remembering her initials that Richard had so lovingly carved with his own hands into the wood of the chair.

Whatever was happening, whatever the problem was, Kahlan knew that their love would be strong enough to see them through.

XXX

Wandering down the corridor, Kahlan had been disappointed that her friend hadn't been in her suite that she shared with Garren. The soldiers standing guard outside in the corridor had thought that the Mord'Sith was down at the main entrance of the Palace itself.

Kahlan had gone in search of her friend, hoping to be able to talk to her and return to her suite before Richard came back and found her gone. She knew that he had wanted her to stay in their suite until things had settled down, but that was becoming unrealistic. She was going stir-crazy being cooped up in there all day.

The two servant girls who tended to the Mother Confessor had been more than happy to stay with the babies while Kahlan stepped out for a bit. After taking a bath and brushing out her hair, she had slipped into her white Confessor's dress, finally feeling somewhat better.

She just hoped that once she had a chance to talk to Cara the nagging feeling of panic and dread would subside. And once Richard had taken care of his tyrant of a brother, life could finally settle back into a normal routine, as normal as things ever got for them.

Hearing Cara's voice coming from a side hall, Kahlan quickened her pace, hoping to catch up to her. Pulling a strand of her hair behind her ear, she turned the corner in time to catch a glimpse of the Mord'Sith's red leather as she passed through a doorway.

Following her, Kahlan entered the room to find Nicci with Cara. Stunned, she suddenly found herself unable to breathe. It felt as if all of the air in the room had inexplicably just vanished.

Gasping for breath, Kahlan felt the icy grip of panic sliding over and around her body as her heart began to thunder uncontrollably. The sudden tightening in her chest was almost painful as she clenched her fists tightly at her sides.

"Kahlan?" Cara questioned, turning to find the Mother Confessor standing in the library that had been designated as the main command room.

Cara strode to her, grabbing hold of her upper arms in an attempt to get her to focus on her.

"Kahlan, what are you doing down here? You're not well enough to leave your suite yet," Cara said, stunned by her friend's appearance. "Kahlan, are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Kahlan hissed as her fiery glare focused on the dark sorceress standing behind Cara. "I just wanted to talk to you. I haven't seen you since I woke."

"I'm sorry," Cara apologized, her brow narrowed with deep concern. "I wanted to give you some privacy with Lord Rahl and time to recover. I stopped by yesterday afternoon, but the servants said that you were resting."

Staring at the Sister of the Dark, Kahlan heard Cara's words, but found herself unable to respond. Even though she had promised Richard that she would trust him and believed that nothing had happened between him and Nicci, Kahlan could not get past what the dark Sister had done to them.

She watched with building anger as Nicci stared back at her, an innocent look upon her face. Kahlan knew that she was anything but. Richard belonged to her and no one else. Nicci would have to get through her first if the sorceress wanted to get her hands on her husband again.

Nicci may have won the first round, but Kahlan would not lose the next.

Richard and even Cara may be blind to Nicci's true intentions, but Kahlan was not. She would watch her every move and if she tried anything, Kahlan was more than prepared to unleash her fury on the Sister.

"Kahlan!"

The sound of Cara's panicked voice snapped her out of her vengeful thoughts. She found herself trembling uncontrollably, the Mord'Sith gripping her arms tightly in order to keep her upright.

"Kahlan, you need to breathe or you're going to pass out," Cara firmly instructed her as she moved to block Nicci from the Mother Confessor's view.

Attempting to draw deep slow breaths, Kahlan tried to focus on Cara, concentrating on her words and the sound of her voice. Her heart felt as if it was pounding in her throat, obstructing her airway as blood rushed violently in her ears.

"Cara, please, I have to talk to you. Something is very wrong," Kahlan whispered in distress, not wanting Nicci to hear her.

"What is it?"

"Not here…not now," Kahlan panted heavily as tears pricked her eyes.

The confusion in Cara's face was the dreaded answer that confirmed Kahlan's worst fears. The Mord'Sith had no idea that anything was the least bit wrong. She was on Richard's side. Kahlan felt her rage climbing higher and higher as panic gripped her tighter and tighter.

"You! You have something to do with this, don't you?" Kahlan screamed as she tried to shove her way around the Mord'Sith.

"I'm sorry you feel that way, Kahlan, but I have done nothing but try to help you and Richard," Nicci softly replied, appearing hurt by the Mother Confessor's accusations.

"I will find out what you have done and I will personally see to it that you pay," Kahlan seethed, her vision beginning to tunnel with the extent of her anger, her breath coming out in heated pulls for air as Cara fought to keep her away from the Sister of the Dark.

"Kahlan!"

The angry sound of her husband's voice echoed through the room followed by suffocating silence as everyone froze. Kahlan turned to find Richard standing in the doorway, his jaw clenched tight, his brown eyes dancing with anger.

"Richard, I…"

"What are you doing down here, Kahlan? I told you to stay in our suite. Why did you leave?"

Startled by the extent of his fury, Kahlan could hardly draw her next breath let alone form any semblance of a response. She had seen him this furious before but never directed at her.

Before she could even think, he was suddenly standing before her, seizing hold of her arms as she felt her knees grow weak, his grip almost painful. The room was spinning wildly, nausea washing through her.

Closing her eyes against the dizziness, she felt hands on her face, caressing her and bringing her back from the edge of some unknown, unseen abyss that she had no idea that she was even teetering near.

"Kahlan, breathe…please, my love. You need to breathe," Richard firmly instructed her.

Listening to the sound of his voice, she followed him as his words guided her from the swirling sea of chaos and terror that threatened to drown her.

"Breathe, Kahlan…Spirits, please breathe," he whispered.

His voice was strong and so near as he breathed in her ear, his presence filling the horrifying void that was attempting to ensnare her and suck her in. She focused on his nearness, the feel of his hands on her arms, his thumbs caressing back and forth over her dress.

"Richard?" she choked out, her tongue darting out to wet her lips only to taste the saltiness of tears that she hadn't even known that she had shed.

"Kahlan, you're not well enough to be down here. You should be resting in our suite where it's safe," he calmly told her.

Despite the calmness in his voice, Kahlan could still hear the angry tone it held. She suddenly felt so foolish for having left their chambers, for causing him worry or to become so upset with her.

"I wanted to see Cara. I had to talk to her," she mumbled, finding it difficult to meet his gaze, knowing his eyes would still be filled with anger with her.

"About what? I could have had Cara come up to see you," he bit out.

"It's nothing…it can wait. I…I should get back to our girls," Kahlan stammered, averting her eyes and pulling out of his hold on her.

"Kahlan, wait," Richard said, grabbing her hand as she attempted to slip past him. "I'll take you back up to our suite."

"No, it's not necessary. You have more important things to take care of right now. I'm fine, really," she replied as she attempted to escape him as she cast a glare at Nicci, not wanting to see her husband's eyes that she adored filled with such anger at her.

Before she could even reach the door, Kahlan found Richard blocking her path, his hands cupping her face and forcing her to look at him. Finally relenting, she looked into his eyes to see irritation mixed with worry swimming there in those brown orbs.

She was relieved that some of the fury that had filled them had diminished some, but she found her own anger beginning to surface. Why was everyone acting this way towards her, acting like she was some helpless invalid who needed to be coddled and restrained?

"Kahlan, you're not well enough yet…"

"You felt I was well enough last night," she heatedly whispered to him, her own anger flaring at the madness surrounding her.

She knew that her words were hurtful, suggesting that she was there for nothing more than his entertainment and to bring him pleasure, but Kahlan found herself wanting to hurt him like he had hurt her by siding with Nicci despite her protests.

"Kahlan," he growled, frustration returning to his eyes as well as hurt with her words. "You know that's not what I meant. You mean so much more to me than the pleasure you can provide me. It's just that you need your rest and…"

"Really, Richard, I'm fine. I'll see you tonight," she coldly responded, attempting to hold her crumbling heart together.

"I'll take you back upstairs," Richard firmly insisted, grabbing her elbow as he led her towards the door. "We'll discuss this later tonight."

Kahlan felt her rage bubbling up from within her core with his words. He was talking to her like she was some little girl who had disobeyed her father when in fact she was the Mother Confessor, ruling authority of the Midlands, wife to the Lord Rahl of D'Hara. He had no right to treat her like this.

Everything inside of her wanted to jerk free from his hold and race down the corridor to get away from him at that moment. The thought that she wanted to escape from the man she loved more than life itself caused a piercing pain to suddenly penetrate her heart.

Her Richard would never talk to her like this, never treat her so insensitively. The Richard she knew loved and respected her, treated her as the most precious object that he'd ever found.

Zedd…she had to find Zedd. He would know what to do. He would listen to her before passing judgment on her like everyone else was doing.

"Since I'm not allowed to leave our suite, could you have Zedd stop by and see me?" she asked with a clipped tone.

Walking down the corridor, Richard dragged her to an abrupt halt. Surprised, she turned to gaze into the tear-filled eyes of her husband, alarm filling his face. The sight of him like this caused knots to suddenly twist painfully in the pit of her stomach.

"Kahlan," Richard softly choked out, swallowing hard before he was able to continue. "Zedd died last month. Don't you remember?"

"No," Kahlan gasped as tears instantly pooled in her eyes.

Shaking her head in denial, she quickly shrank back from him, her back colliding with the wall as she stared at Richard. It couldn't be true. Not Zedd. He was like a grandfather to her, the grandparent that she never had.

Staring now into the grief-stricken eyes of her husband, Kahlan knew that it had to be true…


	6. Chapter 6

**Ok, I caved. Here is the next update. Got pushed into posting early!**

**Chapter 6**

"Breathe, Kahlan!" he frantically demanded.

Leaning over her, Richard held her face in his hands, his thumbs caressing her cheeks as he pleaded with her to draw in much needed air. He had been sitting by her side, praying that she would wake when she suddenly began hyperventilating.

His heart hammered in his chest as he attempted to settle her, wishing so desperately that he knew what was happening to the woman he loved with his whole being.

Five days.

Tears pricked his eyes for the hundredth time that day as he tried to calm the storm that held him in its fierce control. It had been five days since their return and Kahlan had yet to open her eyes no matter how much he talked to her, pleaded with her to come back to him.

Zedd had healed her wounds, returning her ravaged body to the figure she'd had before she came to be with twins. His grandfather had checked her every day since, cursing under his breath and swearing up and down that she should be awake, mumbling incoherent words of frustration mingled with grief.

He had not been able to find one thing wrong with her except for the fact that she was still unconsciousness for which he could find no cause.

Zedd said that it was almost as if Kahlan's mind had been locked away somehow, her consciousness playing out her life as if it was all real. He hadn't been able to be any clearer than that and had ended up dismissing the whole theory in the end, throwing his hands up in the air in aggravation. He had declared then that it could be somehow related to Kahlan giving birth in the past and then being brought back to the present.

Sitting at her bedside the last few days, Richard had tried for hours on end to reach out to his Han in order to discover what was wrong with her, to heal her of whatever was afflicting her.

And hour after hour, he would reach out to it, every fiber of his being straining to touch it, his mind's eye brushing across it until he was left panting for air, his head spinning and sweat trickling down his neck.

He would suddenly leap to his feet in heated anger and frustration, growling to himself that he was a damned war wizard and should be able to heal his own wife. Hearing his ranting, Zedd would appear from the greeting room where he had taken up permanent residence since their return.

Zedd would try once again to calm his grandson down, telling him that he was pushing himself too hard. He had tried several times to remind Richard that he had been through so much recently with Nicci's sudden appearance, sending Kahlan into the past as well as delivering his own twins only to come home to find Darken Rahl and his allies sitting at their doorstep.

There was a weight of responsibility and chaos that had fallen on his grandson's shoulders and he wasn't certain how much more Richard could stand. Despite all of the turmoil raging around him, Kahlan's unconscious state had been the hardest blow of all, sapping all of his strength out of him. The only thing helping him to hold on was his daughters and the hope that Kahlan would wake soon.

Richard had brought her back to recover after giving birth, hoping that once Zedd had healed her from the delivery of their twins that Kahlan would wake. But that had not been the case.

No cure could be found for an ailment that could not be discovered.

Defeated and drained, Richard would always slump back into his chair, running his fingers through his hair before snatching up his wife's hand once more, holding it in a death-grip, connecting him to her in the only way possible at that point.

Zedd would stand beside him for a moment, squeezing his shoulder in that grandfatherly way that silently let him know that he was always there for him before quietly leaving him alone with his comatose wife.

Leaning over her now, Richard whispered his love for her in her ear, telling her that she needed to breathe. He was terrified to think of what she was going through, what was causing her body to respond like this.

Kahlan would lie there so lifeless for hours on end and then all of the sudden these panic-like attacks would afflict her, dragging her even deeper into some world in her mind that was holding her captive. Her expression would suddenly change, her face filled with so much grief it broke his heart.

"That's it, my love," he murmured reassuringly in her ear, his fingers caressing her cheeks. "That's it; now just come back to me. Please, Kahlan, come back to me."

Pressing his lips against her brow, her face quickly became wet with his tears as her breathing finally evened out once more.

XXX

Sitting in the nursery, Richard held Paige in his arms as he rocked her to sleep. Her raven hair was a beautiful contrast against the soft pinkness of the blanket that was wrapped snugly around her. Leaning down, he inhaled deeply, savoring the soothing scent of his little girl. There was nothing that compared to the sweet smell of a baby after a bath, nothing better than his babies.

Brushing his lips softly against her forehead, he pulled back to watch her little brown eyes finally flutter closed. He was thankful that she had fallen asleep so quickly. Priya hadn't been quite so willing to comply with the tug of sleep, fighting with all her little might against it. She was strong-willed, reminding him so much of her mother. The thought of Kahlan brought a sad smile to his lips.

Of course being interrupted by one of the D'Haran guards coming to notify him that Sister Nicci was awake and demanding to speak with him hadn't helped matters in the least. He'd almost gotten Priya to sleep when the knock at the door had stirred her into a wailing frenzy, the likes of which was only matched by her sister, creating a chorus of discord.

He had never heard a set of lungs like his daughters had nor could he comprehend how two tiny little bodies could make so much noise. He also could not understand how Kahlan could remain unconscious through it all.

Holding Paige as she slept now, Richard felt a sense of peace and comfort holding his daughter. Casting a glance at Priya sleeping soundly in her bassinet, he smiled softly at the simple wonder and contentment that a baby always seemed to bring. And he had been blessed twice by his daughters' births.

Leaving Priya's bassinet, his eyes fell upon the rocking chair that sat empty beside him. He swallowed back the sob that suddenly rose up within his chest, constricting his throat. She was supposed to be sitting here with him now, feeding their daughter while he rocked the other one to sleep. They were supposed to be relishing this time together, enjoying their little girls that they had waited for what seemed like an eternity to meet.

Unable to look at the empty chair any longer, Richard quietly stood to his feet, placing Paige in her crib. Staring down at her, he couldn't help but notice the obvious resemblance to Kahlan even in the way that she slept, the serene look on her face as she lost herself in her dreams.

"Sweet dreams, little princess," he whispered as he leaned down placing a kiss on her forehead.

Placing one last kiss on Priya's brow, Richard quietly closed the door, entering their bedchambers to find Kahlan still in the same state that he had left her in when the servant girls had brought his daughters back from their feeding and baths.

Walking past the bed, he stood before the window, crossing his arms over his chest as he stared at the moon rising behind the mountains, the mountains that hid his brother and his allied army. At the moment, they seemed to be at a stalemate, neither willing to budge. It was turning into a battle of wills that Richard knew was set to explode any day.

Why Darken Rahl had yet to attack was beyond comprehension. He and his army had just been sitting out there ever since Richard's return with Kahlan and Cara, not making any effort to attack. Was this just some sort of ploy to unnerve them, to cause them to become lax in their wait for the attack that wasn't to come?

He just wished that Kahlan was awake to talk to, to hear her advice on what to do. Her insight into matters such as this was invaluable. She'd had so much more experience in warfare and negotiations than he ever had. All he knew was the woods and how to survive in them.

Whenever he had a decision to make, he always went to her. She was his sounding board, his confident, his advisor. She gave him courage and the confidence to do what he already knew in his heart that had to be done, but just needed to know that he had her support to do it.

It had always been how they had worked so perfectly together ever since he became the Seeker and she his Confessor, working side-by-side as one.

And Kahlan had never ceased in her loyalty to him no matter what she may have been feeling inside, never wavering in her steadfast support of him. Even when he wanted to dissolve the Midlands and bring it under the canopy of the D'Haran Empire, she had eventually supported him in the end, reaffirming what he believed in his heart was the right thing to do.

She would always listen patiently, allowing him to work through what he was battling inside, saying out loud what had been swarming in his mind. She would give her opinion when he had finally finished pacing and talking endlessly. Her judgment almost always turned out to be exactly what he had been thinking all along.

Kahlan had always told him to follow his heart…but right now his heart was in that bed in a lifeless state that he could not fix. Everything felt so beyond his control right now, a chaotic tempest that was threatening to suck the very life out of him.

Gritting his teeth in anger, he placed his hands on the window frame, leaning forward as he hung his head in grief. This was more than he could possibly bear. Why would the good spirits see fit to allow him to have the love of a lifetime, a fantasy come true only to have it so cruelly ripped away from him like this?

He felt as if his life was caving in on him, attempting to bury him alive. Every breath that he drew took great effort; every step he took threatened to drag him to the ground.

"Kahlan," he whispered to a woman who could neither hear him nor respond to him. "What do I do?"

Waiting for an answer that would not come, Richard felt the deafening weight of the silence that filled the room, his heart pounding in his ears with the intensity of his grief.

A soft knock on the door suddenly dragged him from the grips of despair. Looking up, he watched as the door softly creaked open, an unruly shock of white hair sticking its head in.

"Richard," Zedd softly said. "The guard is back again stating that Nicci insists on speaking with you tonight."

Hanging his head once more, Richard firmly replied as he returned his gaze out the window, his voice tight with anger. "No. I will see her when I am ready and not until then."

Without a word, Zedd quietly closed the door to deliver his grandson's response, leaving Richard alone once more with his wife. Unable to bear it no more, Richard broke down in heartrending sobs, sobs that racked his body, causing him to shake uncontrollably.

He'd been holding it in for so long, fighting back the sudden eruptions of frustration and anger, grief and loneliness that relentlessly attacked him. He had tried to be strong for Kahlan, for his daughters, but after five days it had become too much to withstand.

He never should have come to D'Hara, should never have claimed the throne. If they had gone to Westland, Kahlan would not be in the state that she was in now.

Turning to look at her through tear-filled eyes, Richard suddenly chuckled softly to himself despite the heartache. He could hear his Kahlan's words drifting through his mind right now just as plainly as if she had suddenly said them to him.

Kahlan would never have allowed him to take her to Westland to be safe when there were people in need, people that needed someone to save them from the abyss of darkness. He could hear her adamant protests, see the fire in her sapphire eyes as they blazed with such a deep abiding passion for the wrong that had been committed, the deep-seated desire to right what was immoral. It was one of the countless things that he loved so much about her.

The thought of her like that brought him a sudden unexpected comfort that helped to temper the despair that threatened to devour him whole. Slipping off his vest and boots, Richard removed the rest of his clothes, slipping into his sleeping pants.

Drawing back the covers, he snuggled in close to his wife, his arm sliding protectively over her waist. Pulling her closer, he breathed in deeply the other scent that he adored, the one that lit his passion, setting his blood on fire like nothing he had never known before he had met Kahlan Amnell.

The servants had bathed her, washing her hair and dressing her in her white satin nightdress, the one that he loved to see her in, the one that she hadn't been able to wear for the last five months.

Burying his face in the crook of her neck, he cried softly as he pressed his lips to her soft skin, praying for the day that she would open her eyes and return his kisses.

XXX

"But you don't understand!"

"I'm sorry, Miss, but Lord Rahl is tending to the Mother Confessor and does not wish to be disturbed. He said he would come and speak with you when he was ready and not before then," the D'Haran soldier snapped at her, his eyes hard and unwavering.

"I must speak with him. It is crucial that I talk to him tonight," Nicci growled in frustration.

Why wouldn't Richard see her? This didn't make any sense. She had sent him back to the past to save Kahlan. He couldn't know that she was the cause of Kahlan's condition now. Having only just woken a little while ago, she hadn't had a chance to warn him yet.

"Good night, Miss," the soldier dismissively stated, swiftly leaving the room, his red cape billowing behind him.

Nicci ran for the door, desperate to make them understand that she was only trying to make things right, but the door swiftly slammed closed in her face. She could hear the click of the lock as she reached for the handle.

Pounding her fists against the door, she yelled at them to let her out, to take her to Richard immediately. She could hear murmuring of the soldiers and the Mord'Sith in the hall, but could not make out what they were saying.

She continued to pound, shouting at them until her voice grew hoarse. With still no response, her forehead fell against the door in defeat, her breathing ragged with her despair.

"You don't understand," she murmured over and over, pounding her fist one last time.

Turning, she pressed her back against the door, sliding down it to the floor. Tilting her head back, tears fell down her face - tears of regret, tears of shame, tears of anger as well as love for a man who could not love her.

Drawing her knees up, she held her head in her hands, crying softly with no one to comfort or hold her, to tell her it would be alright, no one to listen to her as she tried to explain what she had done. She felt so alone, so unwanted.

If she hadn't been so selfish, none of this would be happening right now. Richard wouldn't be in such a state of anguish as he kept vigil at his wife's bed side; his babies would have their mother to take care of them as it should have been all along.

As she began to think about Richard's daughters, she began to dream of what their child would look like if he loved her instead of Kahlan. Would their baby have her blond hair and his chocolate brown eyes that seemed to penetrate straight to her very core? Or would their child have his heart and her smile?

Nicci knew that she could give Richard something that Kahlan could never give him – a son.

It was common knowledge that any son born to a Confessor was sentenced to an immediate death. She couldn't imagine Richard being happy or content with just having daughters. All fathers wanted a son that they could bond with, to teach the things that his father had taught him, passing on traditions and knowledge that a father could only teach his son.

A small smile creased her face as she thought about giving Richard a son, the happiness and pride that would fill his face.

She swiftly shook her head, her chin falling against her chest in despair. What was she thinking? Richard had already refused her, telling her that he loved Kahlan. And his love for her was so obvious that a complete stranger could see the evidence of it just in the way that he looked at her, the way Kahlan touched him.

And yet, it would be a way for her to give something back to the man who had given her a reason to live, to believe in herself again, to understand the value of life and love.

Nicci began to feel a sense of confusion unexpectedly arise within her heart with her conflicted thoughts. Did she really want to do this because she felt it was what was best for the man that she loved or was it because it was what she so desperately wanted?

While she did admittedly want him for herself, she also wanted to give him something born from the love she held in her heart for him. What was wrong with that? Wasn't that what love was about? Giving from your heart?

Sitting down on the edge of her bed, Nicci began to pick at the tray of food that had been delivered to her. Her only purpose had been to see Richard and to heal Kahlan of the spell she had imbedded within her.

With a renewed purpose set in her mind, she was determined to make Richard see her tomorrow no matter what it took. Once she had healed Kahlan, he would see that she had truly changed and then maybe, just maybe he would let her give him something in return for the faith he had shown her…


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Sunlight trickled through the window as tiny snowflakes collected on the glass, melting as soon as it came in contact with it. It was such an odd occurrence to see snow falling while the sun shined brightly in the sky. It seemed so incongruent with each other, so unnatural to him somehow.

Lying on his side with his fingers interlocked with hers, Richard stared at his wife again while his other hand played with a strand of her raven hair. Running his fingers through the silken locks, he moved to trace the curve of her face, the contour of her nose, gently brushing his finger along her perfect lips that he loved to kiss.

His eyes travelled down her slender neck that he loved to nip at as he marked her as his alone and then blazing a trail down to the swell of her beautiful breasts.

Spirits, he missed her so deeply it was hard to breath at times.

"Please, come back to me, Kahlan," he murmured so softly in her ear, his voice cracking with the words as he pressed his forehead against her cheekbone.

They had been through so much together to lose her now especially after the birth of their daughters. He was thankful that Zedd was staying in their guest room connected to their greeting room. He had gotten up several times in the middle of the night to help Richard with the feedings, helping to rock the girls back to sleep.

Despite the interruption in his slumber, Richard knew that his grandfather was enjoying every minute of it just as much as he was. He could see it in the way that Zedd held his great-granddaughters, in the way he looked at them with such love and pride shining in his eyes.

As special as it was sharing those times with him, it should be Kahlan that he was sharing these precious moments with. His daughters needed their mother. He could tell that they sensed she was missing. After spending eight months in her womb, they could sense that missing connection to the one who had nourished and protected them as they grew.

While they loved the feel of their father holding them close, they seemed to long for the gentle touch that only a mother could provide them. It angered him that his daughters were being deprived of her, enraged him that he was being denied the companionship of his wife.

And it was not just the intimacy that he always found so intensely passionate between them that he longed for, but more so just her presence in his life.

He missed talking to her, the way her eyes sparkled with amusement at him or the special smile that belonged to only him. Spirits, that smile never ceased to cause a fierce current of heated desire to flood his veins.

He missed the feel of her heart pounding in perfect unison with his in that heated exchange of giving and receiving in making love. He longed to hear her voice or watch her as she held their daughters. She hadn't even had a chance to see Priya or hold either of her girls yet.

He missed the way she chewed on her bottom lip that drove him wild with desire or the sway of her hips when she walked, her white Confessor's dress flowing so gracefully down her body.

He longed to see the fire that burned in her eyes when she was angry or the way she playfully smacked him on the shoulder when he was teasing her. He missed her lilting laughter when he pinned her to the bed, tickling her relentlessly. He craved to feel her curled up closely against his chest, his arms and legs wrapped so protectively around her.

As painful as it was to watch Kahlan like this, Richard knew he would not give up a second of his life with her. To give up the bad meant giving up the good. Giving up the heartache meant giving up the joy.

And giving up the fear of losing her meant giving up the thrilling adventure of loving her.

Nothing in this world was ever worth that to him. Nothing.

He would rather go through life with the overwhelming anguish of losing her than to have never known her, to never know her touch or her love, her kisses or her heart. She had reached into his very core, touching him beyond any magic ever could and for that alone he was eternally grateful.

Kahlan had changed him, making him a better person, helping him become so much more than he ever dreamed he could be. Because of her, he wanted to surpass everything that he was, never content with staying the same but always striving to be a better man just for her.

"Please, Kahlan," he whispered, his lips brushing against her ear. "Please, don't make me go on alone without you."

Leaning ever closer, he pressed his lips to her temple, his eyes falling closed as he savored the sweet taste of her skin. He wished that he could lay there with her, holding her in his arms, but the tiny responsibilities in the other room began to sound their displeasure.

"You're daughters need you…I need you, Kahlan."

Kissing her cheek once more, Richard released his hold on her, wearily climbing out of bed. Adjusting the covers back over his beloved, he shuffled into the nursery, running his hand through his unruly hair.

"Hey, what's going on in here," he lovingly chided, the sound of Priya's discontentment filling the room. "Which one of my little girls is making all of this ruckus?"

He found Priya crying, her tiny arms raised up in the bassinet, irritated that no one was paying attention to her. He was astonished that Paige hadn't been awakened by her sister's fits of unhappiness. Once one started crying, it usually became a chorus of displeasure that was not always so easily calmed.

Reaching down, he gently picked up his daughter, pulling her blanket closer around her as he made soothing sounds to her. Moving to his rocking chair, he settled down with her in his arms, gently shushing her as he pulled her protectively against his chest.

Rocking back and forth, he held her against him, tenderly patting her back. He still marveled at how tiny his girls were. Having been born a month early, his large hand easily surrounded his daughter's back and then some.

He loved these so called "quiet" moments with his daughters in the peaceful stillness of the nursery, holding them close and talking to them even though he knew that they couldn't possibly understand a single word that he said.

He also knew that special moments like these would quickly become distant memories. He couldn't bear the thought of Kahlan missing out on this. He knew how heartbroken she would be about it when she woke up.

And it wasn't if she woke up, but when she woke up. He had to believe that in his heart or he would never be able to drag himself away from her or leave their bed.

Suddenly, the door softly opened, Zedd peaking inside. "I thought I heard the familiar wail of my great-granddaughter," he smiled with delight.

"I think I've got it under control, but for how long remains to be seen," he softly replied, feeling so unsure of himself.

He was the mighty Seeker, Lord Rahl of D'Hara, and husband to the Mother Confessor and he was completely powerless against his two small newborn daughters.

He knew very little about babies except that they cried a lot, sleeping and eating and not much of anything else. He needed Kahlan to help him to know what to do. He felt so inadequate at being a parent right now. He barely knew how to be a father let alone a mother as well.

Not wanting to be left out, Paige decided to wake at that moment, wanting to be a part of the goings-on. Zedd quickly went to her bassinet, reaching in and retrieving the unhappy bundle. Bringing her into his arms, he carried her to Kahlan's rocking chair.

Settling in next to his grandson, Zedd noticed the look of heartache that passed through his grandson's eyes every time he sat down in Kahlan's rocking chair. It pained him to see the turmoil that he was going through. He knew it had been very hard on Richard. He wished he could fix this, bring Kahlan back to him, but he could not discover what was causing her to remain like this.

There had to be something more going on than what they knew about, something that they had missed. He decided it was time to visit the hidden rooms in the underground tunnels that held valuable books on magic. Hopefully something in one of those books could shed some light on what was happening to her.

After that, Zedd had no more ideas left.

"There, there, little one," Zedd soothed as he rocked Paige. "I know you want your mother, but I'm afraid your great-grandpa Zedd is going to have to do for right now. I'm sorry that you're stuck with this wrinkly old face to look at."

Richard smiled softly at his words, grateful that his grandfather was here to help him through this. He had never been more thankful for his presence and support as he was now. He needed him to lean on, to provide the strength that was quickly diminishing within him.

"Thank you, Zedd," Richard said, unable to meet his grandfather's eyes. "I couldn't have gotten through this without you."

"It's my pleasure, my boy," he lovingly replied. "There is no other place I would rather be than right here with you and these precious little girls. I just wish there was something I could do to help Kahlan."

"I know; me too," Richard sadly said. "I will bring her back to us. I won't rest until I have."

"I have no doubt you will, Richard. If anyone can do it, it is you," Zedd encouraged him, believing in his heart every word he said as he turned his attention back to his granddaughter. "And you, little one, I believe you have more freckles today than you did yesterday."

Richard laughed softly. He too had been amazed at how quickly his little girls had already changed since being born just five short days ago, but they still fit so perfectly in his large hands. He loved to hold one in each of his hands, staring at their little faces, so amazed at how identical they were. He was thankful for Paige's darker hair and the difference in eye color or he never would be able to tell his girls apart.

"I don't know what I'm going to do, Zedd," Richard swallowed hard. "Darken Rahl and his army could strike at any moment, the Altaeans are committing treason by aligning with him, I have these two little lives depending on me, and Kahlan's in a coma.

"I can't take this anymore. I can't watch my wife lay in that bed, wasting away. I can't stand by and watch my daughters grow up without their mother. It's not right, Zedd. This was not how it was supposed to be," he bitterly said, drawing a shuddering breath.

Zedd felt sorrow rise to the surface as he watched the torment that flashed through his grandson's face. It hurt him to see Richard suffering so much, the woman who became like a granddaughter to him lying lifeless in that bed, his great-granddaughters without their mother.

What could he possibly say to lessen his pain, to make things better?

"Richard, I know that…"

A soft knock at the door unexpectedly interrupted the Wizard, causing them both to look up to see Cara peak her head in.

"How are my two favorite people doing this morning?" she asked, attempting to stay positive despite the sadness that her friend's condition brought her.

"We're holding it together for now, Cara. Thank you for asking," Zedd teased with a mischievous smile.

"I was talking about the girls, not the two of you," Cara rolled her eyes.

"They're hungry," Richard frowned with a sigh. "And it's not us that they want right now. I'm afraid that these makeshift bottles are only going to work for so long."

"I'm afraid there is someone who does want you," Cara scowled as she came to stand in the room with them, her Mord'Sith leather creaking softly with her movements. "Sister Nicci is demanding that she speak with you at once."

"I don't want to see her right now," Richard coldly told her, anger simmering just beneath the surface, ready to be unleashed on anyone in his path at any moment. "I told the guards that last night. I will see her when I'm ready."

While he believed that Nicci had truly changed, there was a part of him that felt that she was indirectly responsible for his wife's current state. Because of that, Richard could not bring himself to see the Sister of the Dark right now. Although remorseful for what she had done, Nicci had still hurt Kahlan and that was something that could not be so easily forgiven or forgotten.

In time he felt that he would be able to forgive her, but not now, not when Kahlan lay in an unconscious state. It was like she was in some sort of stasis, alive but not living.

"Nicci adamantly demands that she sees you and will not stop demanding until she does. She says…"

"I don't care what she demands or what she says," Richard growled as he interrupted her, his anger quickly rising without the touch of his sword against his skin. "I will not see her. She can just stay in that room until I am ready to speak with her."

"She says that she knows what is wrong with Kahlan and that she can heal her," Cara told him, crossing her arms over her chest in disbelief.

The silence in the room was deafening with the Mord'Sith's sudden revelation. Richard sat up straighter in his chair as he continued to pat Priya's back. If Nicci held the key to Kahlan's condition than he had no choice but to see the dark witch who had turned his world upside down.

"Nicci knows what's wrong with Kahlan?" Richard repeated, his brow furrowing with growing fury.

"I think it's just a trick to get to you. Besides…" Cara huffed with a sneer on her lips.

"I need to see her right away," he interrupted, his mind spinning, his heart beginning to beat wildly in his chest.

"I do not think that is wise," Cara said, stiffening with disapproval. "You know that she wants to take you away from Kahlan. Putting Nicci in the same room with her just gives that witch the opportunity that she needs to finish Kahlan off and have you all to herself."

"She knows that I could never love her. I've already told her that many times."

"She is wearing a Rada'Han," Zedd interjected, shifting Paige to his other shoulder. "We still have control over her."

"Until we take it off. We still can't trust her," the Mord'Sith heatedly insisted with a growl.

"She healed Garren," Richard reminded her as he stood to his feet, still cradling Priya protectively in his arms. "Besides, why would she remove the Rada'Han from my neck, fight by our side and send me to the past to bring Kahlan back if she wanted to end her life now? Why not just keep Kahlan in the past or kill her in our bedchamber when she had the chance?"

Richard felt nauseous with the questions that had been haunting him since their return to the Palace. He had been racking his brain trying to discover why Kahlan was like this, but had not been able to come up with anything. Voicing some of his questions out loud now did little to bring the answers he so desperately needed.

"It could have just been some elaborate trick to win our confidence," she bit out, leaning back against the wall. "I'm grateful for what she did, but that doesn't mean that I completely trust her."

"I don't fully trust her either, but I have to take that chance, Cara. Zedd has tried everything he can think of to discover what is wrong with Kahlan and hasn't been able to find anything. I've tried to reach out to my Han, but I can't touch it long enough to heal her. I don't have any other choice."

"And what if she kills Kahlan?"

"That's a chance I have to take. Kahlan's as good as dead now if she stays like this!" Richard growled as he pointed towards the room where his wife was lying, his eyes so full of rage mixed with anguish that it caused a chill to shiver down the Mord'Sith's spine with its intensity.

"I think Nicci has done enough already. I want her kept as far away from you and Kahlan as possible," Cara stubbornly shot back, unwilling to allow the worry she felt for her friends from clouding her judgment.

"And I want my wife back!" Richard angrily snapped, his eyes blazing with the force of his pain. "And my daughters deserve to have their mother."

"Fine," Cara scowled, crossing her arms over her chest. "Then I am standing right beside her with my agiels ready. I want at least five other Mord'Sith in the room with us. Paige and Priya will be taken to my suite where Garren can watch them. I will not take any chances when it comes to you, Kahlan or the girls."

"Alright," Richard finally replied as he attempted to rein in his anger, touched by his friend's deep concern for him and his family. "Let me get dressed and get the girls settled first. Then you can bring Nicci to the greeting room. I want to talk to her before I let her in the room with Kahlan."

Cara abruptly turned on her heel without another word, not the least bit happy with this plan. Nicci was dangerous, the most treacherous sorceress who ever drew air. The Sister of the Dark had a very long way to go to prove herself to her.

Cara vowed that she would become Nicci's constant shadow, following her everywhere she went whether she was wearing the Rada'Han or not. She would be her worst nightmare if she dared try anything to interfere with Lord Rahl and Kahlan's happiness ever again.

Richard sighed deeply, a flicker of hope beginning to take root in his heart. If Nicci held the answers that would bring Kahlan back to him, then that was a risk he had to take. He just prayed that he wasn't making a huge mistake.

"I have to take the chance," Richard murmured more to himself than to his grandfather as he returned a sleeping Priya to her crib. "I just have to."

"I know, my boy. I'll be right there as well in case she tries anything."

"But if she does, will we even know in time to save Kahlan's life?"

Without waiting for a response from his grandfather, Richard walked away, his head bowed with worry as he entered their bedchambers in order to get ready for the Sister's appearance…


	8. Chapter 8

**Thanks for following along! Remember, reviews are awesome! :D**

**Chapter 8**

Standing on that same cliff that he had found himself on a few nights ago, Darken Rahl crossed his arms over his chest as he stared at his Palace. The sun was just beginning to lighten the early morning sky, casting shadows all about him.

His ultimatum had been received by his brother and his response had been delivered by way of an arrow being shot into their camp. Taking the note that had been attached to the arrow, Rahl had smiled at the rage he had stirred up in the Seeker.

Richard had adamantly refused a surrender of any kind, least of all surrendering his wife. He had promised to carve Darken Rahl into pieces until there was not one shred of evidence that he had ever existed, keeping him from ever coming near Kahlan.

Rahl had broken out into a wide grin after reading the note, knowing that he had struck a very deep cord in his brother. While he did not know him like most brothers knew each other, Rahl knew that Richard would be able to think of little else except protecting his dear Kahlan.

He imagined Richard huddled close with his precious wife, making promises to her that he would keep her safe, making promises that he would never be able to keep. She would gaze at him with those arresting blue eyes of hers, begging him to not risk his life for her.

The picture of it all created a sense of joy inside of him, knowing that he would soon be coming between them in a way they had never imagined, causing them more pain and suffering than they had ever dreamed was possible.

First, he would break his brother's spirit, destroying him and breaking him down into the nothing that he was. Then he would take Kahlan as his own, make his brother watch as he took his wife to his bed, the bed that Richard had made love to her in. He would defile their "marriage bed" in the most contemptible way possible – by making Richard watch over and over again, forcing him to listen to Kahlan as she screamed, begging him to save her, to end her suffering.

But there would be nothing that the Seeker could do for her except watch and listen to her every agonizing scream that escaped her lips. She would soon come to loathe him, hating him for not doing something to protect her, to save her from the life that her husband had doomed her to.

And just when Richard would think that he could not possibly take any more, begging his brother to end his life, he would make him suffer even more. Richard would have to live the rest of his life with the knowledge that his wife and his daughters now belonged to his brother.

Killing Richard would be too kind, too swift of a sentence for him. It would be much more enjoyable making him suffer every day of his pathetic little life as he pleaded for death to take him, but never allowing it to come.

His men had been in place for over two days now, waiting for his order to attack. If Richard had any idea of what was about to happen, he would have never stuck his self-righteous little nose in where it didn't belong. He should have stayed in Aydindril, gone back home to Westland where belonged, anything else except coming to D'Hara. Either way, it was too late now.

The order to attack was about to come.

XXX

Walking down the hall, Nicci could barely contain the excitement that was steadily growing in her heart. She knew that she shouldn't be after all that she had done, but she was going to see Richard at last and that overshadowed all the shame that had amassed within her soul.

Just the thought of him caused a flutter in the pit of her stomach. Would these feelings inside of her ever subside, ever dim or would they continue to grow to an unbearable peak where she would surely die if she didn't have him for herself?

Surrounded by a contingent of Mord'Sith led by Cara, Nicci knew that she needed to do everything in her power to temper these emotions, but every time she saw the Seeker, even thought about him those feelings only intensified.

Reaching an elaborate set of doors guarded by D'Haran soldiers and Mord'Sith alike, Nicci knew that she was finally here. She drew a deep breath, nervous about how Richard would react when he saw her.

Would he welcome her? Be relieved that she could do something to save Kahlan? Would he hug her after she had healed his wife? Thank her for what she had done to save Kahlan, maybe even kissing her?

Or would he hate her, banishing her from his presence forever?

She couldn't bear the thought of him hating her, of never seeing him again. That would be a fate worse than all of the deplorable things that Darken Rahl had ever done to her. She would do whatever it took to keep that from happening.

Entering the suite, Nicci was disappointed to find it empty. She had been hoping that Richard would be here waiting for her arrival. Cara pointed for her to sit down on the couch as she entered the next room, leaving her alone with her own entourage of Mord'Sith.

She felt as if a thousand butterflies had suddenly been set loose in her stomach. It was such an unusual thing to feel so nervous, so uncertain of herself. She had always been confident and self-assured, always knowing exactly what she wanted and how she was going to get it.

She had always been the one in complete control, but Richard made her feel so out of control, feeling freer than she ever had before in her life.

It had mattered little to her who she had hurt along the way or how much it cost her heart to get what she wanted. But now, Richard had changed all of that. This was all new to her, thinking of someone other than herself, putting what she wanted aside for the love of another.

The sound of the door opening caused her to look up in hopeful expectation. She sat up straighter, folding her hands and resting them in her lap as Cara reentered the room, followed by Zedd.

Peering around the towering wizard, Nicci caught a glimpse of Richard and the blue shirt that he usually wore. Her pulse quickened now that he was finally here, anxious about how he would respond, what he would say to her.

Coming to stand before her, he looked as if he hadn't slept in days, his anger smoldering just beneath the surface, anguish lining his handsome features. His jaw was set, his eyes blazing. She felt her throat constrict knowing that it was because of her that he was like this.

She watched as his fingers circled the hilt of the Sword of Truth that hung at his waist, wondering how much he wanted to strike her down where she sat.

Nicci wanted so desperately to take him in her arms, to hold him and kiss him, telling him how sorry she truly was, how much she loved him and wanted to take care of him. But it was far too late for that. There was someone in the other room in a comatose state that needed her attention before she could begin her plans to fully win his trust.

"Richard, I'm so glad that you…"

"What did you do to her, Nicci?"

The barely controlled anger in his voice was sharp and cutting like steel, almost more than Nicci could possibly bear. Her eyes fell from his raptor gaze that bore straight through to her soul, laying her bare before him to see all her flaws, all her revolting sins.

Gone was the flicker of trust and compassion that she had seen in him when she had removed the Rada'Han from his neck, the look of faith in her when she had sent him into the past to save his wife.

"What did you do to Kahlan?" Richard repeated, his voice holding a deadly calm that caused her to internally shudder.

She'd never felt so insecure beneath such a withering glare. Of course, she had never known someone like Richard Rahl. She had always been the giver of that intense glare, the one striking fear in others' hearts with her very presence. What had they called her? Death's Mistress?

Now, the tables had been turned.

"I'm sorry, Richard," Nicci gently began, hoping to make him understand. "When I probed Kahlan before sending her to the past, I embedded a spell deep within her mind that would put her into a comatose state should you find a way to rescue her and bring her back. It was my way of insuring that even if you saved her from the past, you would still not have her.

"In her mind, Kahlan believes that she is truly living her life just as it had been after you returned from the past. She believes that it is all really happening. I should have warned you before I sent you back to save Kahlan, but I only had…"

"Remove it," Richard harshly said, turning his back to her as he ran a trembling hand through his hair, trying to temper his rage before it exploded beyond his ability to control it.

His mind was reeling with what he was hearing. He had so foolishly believed that Nicci could have had a change of heart. Because of that belief, his wife was laying in their bed in the other room, locked away inside her own mind.

"What?" Nicci murmured, uncertain of what he had said.

"Remove it!" he yelled as he spun around to face her, his chest heaving with the crushing weight of his grief.

Nicci kept her face the hardened mask of a Sister of the Dark despite the sting of her heart crumbling beneath her breast. She deserved this, deserved the full force of his rage. She had hurt the woman that he loved.

Unbearable tension filled the room, the intensity of the Seeker's pain not missed on anyone present in the suite with him. The silence surrounding them was only broken by the Lord Rahl's heavy breathing as he glared down at the dark sorceress.

"That is why I was demanding to speak with you last night. As soon as I woke, I remembered what I had done and I wanted to make it right, to remove the spell from Kahlan's mind," Nicci calmly explained. "I tried to make the guards understand that I needed to see you, but you refused to see me."

Richard felt as if all the air had been sucked from his lungs as he stared at the Sister standing now so calmly before him, reminding him that he'd had a partial hand in Kahlan's condition. Sickening knots twisted in the pit of his stomach at the thought. If he had agreed to see Nicci last night, Kahlan would be awake, would be safe with him right now.

"Zedd, remove the Rada'Han," Richard softly said, turning from her to return to Kahlan.

Entering his bedchamber with Cara in tow, Richard's eyes immediately fell upon his wife's still form lying exactly where he had left her. Every time he saw her, he always prayed that something would be different about her, hoping that she would have moved, shifting to her side or even murmuring in her deep sleep.

But every day it had been the same, always lying exactly how he had positioned her, making sure she was as comfortable as possible. Settling down into his chair by her bed, he leaned in, pressing his lips against her temple.

"It's going to be alright, my love. I promise," he murmured, brushing her hair away from her forehead as he gazed at her. "I will always take care of you no matter what happens."

Standing on the other side of the bed, Cara swallowed the lump that unexpectedly rose in her throat. It was heartbreaking to watch her Lord Rahl in so much anguish, to watch her friend wasting away because of some spell that Nicci had secretly embedded within her.

She just hoped that Nicci would truly heal her, bringing her back to them. Because if she tried anything that would hurt either Lord Rahl or the Mother Confessor, Cara was prepared to press her agiels into the dark witch's skull until it cracked open.

Cara had noticed the way Nicci's eyes had lit up at the sight of Richard when he had entered the greeting room. Despite what the Sister of the Dark said, no matter what she tried to do to prove her allegiance to them, Cara knew that Nicci would always be a threat to Kahlan. The sorceress would forever love the Seeker even though Richard would always only love his wife.

Nicci tried to make her way closer to Richard, but the Mord'Sith blocked her path, causing her to stop short. She felt her heart sink as she watched how consumed Richard was with Kahlan, his focus completely on her as if no one else was even in the Palace, but she hoped in time that things would change.

"Richard…I'm so sorry…" Nicci began, clasping her hands together in front of her as she came to stand at the foot of the bed. "You must believe me. I never meant…"

"Just heal her," Richard evenly said, his voice so hard and brimming with rage. "I don't care what you have done or why you did it. Just bring Kahlan back to me."

The coldness of his words, his unwillingness to even give her a brief glance was more painful than she could bear. She knew that he was furious with her, but she hadn't anticipated such deep simmering rage or how broken he had become because of this.

Nicci's eyes fell on Kahlan lying so pale and lifeless before her in the bed that she and Richard had no doubt made passionate love in night after night. It caused her stomach to drop at the thought, desperately wishing that it was her that Richard had taken in this bed.

These walls held so many secrets between the two lovers, so many promises whispered in the heat of making love, the intense cry of their lover's name on their lips, the good night wishes and sweet morning greetings.

They knew the laughter and joy, the tender moments as well as the passion and ecstasy shared and it made Nicci want to weep knowing it was Kahlan that Richard shared all of that with and not her.

A shove to her back quickly pulled her out of her daydreams and back to the reality of the moment. Peering over at Richard through her eyelashes, Nicci flipped her long blond hair to the side, waiting as Zedd unlocked the Rada'Han around her neck.

"Think twice before you try anything other than saving that woman's life," Zedd hissed as he removed the magical collar.

Nicci knew that she had a long road ahead of her in order to make up for what she had done. She only hoped that by winning over Richard, she could soon earn the trust of the others as well.

"I'm thankful for what you did to save Garren, but you harm her or Lord Rahl and I will send you to your Master before you can even blink," Cara growled low in her ear as she moved to stand closer beside her.

Undaunted by the Mord'Sith's threats, Nicci slowly raised her hands out before her as she softly began to chant the magical spell that would revive Kahlan. She knew in her heart that she was doing what was best for Richard because she loved him. She didn't want to hurt him any more than she already had.

Richard had yet to make eye contact with her since she'd entered the bedchamber, his focus solely on the one who held his heart. He couldn't bring himself to look at the woman who had taken Kahlan from him, sending him back in time to save her, only to take her away from him all over again.

He could hear Nicci murmuring the words, knowing without looking that Cara was standing ready at the dark sorceress's side. He trusted the Mord'Sith to end the Sister's life the moment she felt that Kahlan was being put in further danger.

Holding Kahlan's hand tightly in his, Richard could feel his skin tingle with the intensity of the magic flowing through her body, but he refused to let go of her no matter what it cost him. He studied her face for any change, any sign that showed that she was responding to the magic surging through her body, but there was nothing.

He held his breath in anxious anticipation, every moment that past feeling like a thousand days as he waited for those sapphire eyes he adored to open, gazing back at him with the love for him that he knew possessed her heart.

Nicci exhaled deeply as she finished removing the spell from the Mother Confessor's body. She staggered slightly with the sudden dizziness that washed through her, her arms dropping limply to her sides. She was weaker than she had thought, still recovering from her injuries and the extensive use of her magic in the battle.

Closing her eyes, Nicci attempted to gather herself when she felt a sudden hand on her shoulder. Opening her eyes, she was disappointed to be gazing into the eyes of Richard's grandfather. He quickly returned the Rada'Han to her neck, locking it in place.

She could feel her powers being locked away deep within her, leaving her with an emptiness again that she could not get accustomed to. She felt more alone now than ever before despite the presence of so many people in the room.

Richard anxiously watched his wife, bringing their interlocked fingers to his mouth and pressing his lips to the back of her hand.

"Please, Kahlan…please…" he softly pleaded with her.

Moment after moment ticked by without any response as his heart began to hammer harder and harder in his chest. The spell had been removed. She should be awake now.

"Why isn't she awake?" Richard angrily growled at Nicci, his eyes flashing with the fury that was desperate for release.

"You must give her a little time, Richard. She's been through a lot being sent to the past, giving birth to your daughters and now this. I promise Kahlan will come back to you," Nicci softly replied, her heartache growing with every breath she drew.

"If she doesn't wake soon, I promise that you will not live to see tomorrow," he evenly stated, turning his attention back to his sleeping wife…


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Cara made her way back to her suite feeling no better than when she had left that morning. Kahlan was still in a comatose state and Lord Rahl was still inconsolable as he stayed with her, refusing to leave her side.

Despite his despondent state, Lord Rahl had still insisted that reports be brought to his suite every couple of hours, wanting to be kept advised of what was happening with his brother and his army. He wanted to know the moment that things changed, the moment Darken Rahl decided to make his move. He was not about to provoke an attack if at all possible, but he was not about to sit back and allow them all to be slaughtered.

Cara could still not believe that Darken Rahl had sent an ultimatum, telling Lord Rahl to give up Kahlan and he would spare the Seeker's life. It was ludicrous to think that Richard would ever give up the Mother Confessor. Rahl had to know that his brother would never do something like that just to save his own life. Kahlan was his life.

When she had delivered the ultimatum to her Lord Rahl, she thought he was going to lose control right there. His hands had begun to tremble as he held the note in his hands, clutching it tightly in his fist then as he moved to stare out the window.

He had stood there like that for several moments, finally turning his head to gaze at Kahlan lying in their bed. She had never seen such a barely controlled rage being held at the verge of eruption in another human being as she had that day in her Lord Rahl.

She had honestly feared for his state of mind at that moment, not sure how he was going to respond, if he would race outside, taking on the whole Altaean army himself in a desperate effort to find his brother so he could personally give him his answer with his sword.

He had finally turned towards her, gripping the sides of a nearby table to keep him upright, his knuckles turning white as his chest heaved with the extent of his fury. With a deadly voice, her Lord Rahl had given her his answer.

Cara didn't know how he was possibly holding it together. The future and the weight of the world had fallen upon him once again, everything tearing at him at once, pulling him in every direction and creating havoc in his heart.

There had been a glimmer of hope when Sister Nicci had announced that she could save Kahlan. She had supposedly removed the embedded spell from Kahlan's mind this morning, but the Mother Confessor had yet to wake. At least her friend was still alive, though, bringing them a bit of hope that she would still wake up. That was the only comfort that Cara could take at the moment.

Drawing a deep breath, she attempted to release the brewing frustration and anger that had been building in her own heart since Nicci had taken Richard and sent Kahlan into the past. And since then, things had only grown worse.

Now, Darken Rahl and the Altaeans were sitting on their doorstep, ready to attack at any moment. On top of that, Kahlan was still in a coma, leaving her twins with no mother and Lord Rahl with no wife.

And Cara felt so powerless to do anything about it, having to sit back and watch has her friend spiraled deeper and deeper into the dark void of desolation. The only thing keeping him upright was Paige and Priya as well as the desperate hope that Kahlan would wake soon.

Cara was more than prepared to follow Lord Rahl into the heart of the enemy just to help him find Darken Rahl so they could put an end to him once and for all. Maybe that was what he needed to survive all of this right now, chasing after his wicked brother and finishing him off once and for all.

Reaching the suite she shared with Garren, Cara stopped, nodding at the soldiers down the hall that were guarding her Lord Rahl and the Mother Confessor. They nodded back in unspoken mutual respect and agreement that no harm would come to them, not on their watch.

It brought her a small measure of comfort to know that so many of these D'Harans were faithful to Richard and Kahlan, ready to give up their lives if necessary to keep their rulers safe.

She had secretly feared that it wasn't going to be this easy winning over Darken Rahl's soldiers and staff. It turned out, though, that the majority of them had been relieved with his demise, welcoming the new Lord Rahl and his wife for what they hoped they would bring to their territory. And they had definitely not let them down, bringing more and more D'Harans over to their way of thinking.

Turning the handle, Cara entered her suite, closing the door softly behind her. Unhooking her agiels, she set them down on the table, ready to forget that she was Mord'Sith for the rest of the day, wanting nothing more than just to be a woman held by the man that she loved, the man who made her feel like anything was possible in life.

Hearing the sound of Garren's voice, the Mord'Sith came to a stop as she rounded the corner. Leaning against the wall, she crossed her arms over her chest as she watched him.

Garren was standing at the window, Paige cradled in one arm and Priya in the other. The site caused the corners of her red lips to turn up with a sweet joy that helped assuage the ache that continually brewed in her heart.

"…and that down there is your mother and father's private garden," he sweetly cooed to the girls, who seemed to be listening with rapt attention, their eyes staring in wonder at his face. "And that over there is the Alder woods. Your Uncle Garren and Aunt Cara will take you on hikes through that forest when you're bigger…"

Cara couldn't hide the happiness that suddenly lit up her green eyes, shining brightly as she listened to her lover talk to the two little girls who meant the world to her. Despite her fierce façade, Cara couldn't begin to hide her love for Richard and Kahlan's daughters.

Having been present for their birth only expanded her love for them, making them that much more precious to her. She'd had the amazing experience of watching Richard and Kahlan's love grow and deepen, witnessing it intensify to the point of Richard becoming immune to her Confessor's touch.

She had watched them endure every turmoil and heartache that had been thrown their way, surviving to finally take one another as their mate and then be blessed by these beautiful twin girls. Paige and Priya were the culmination of Richard and Kahlan's infinite love for one another and yet she knew that these precious girls were just the beginning of her friends' happiness.

"Your Aunt Cara and I will someday teach you how to use a sword and how to fight. Your father is going to teach you all about the woods he loves and how to hunt and fish and set traps," Garren told them as he lightly bounced them in his arms.

"And your mother…" Garren's voice trailed off, breaking softly as his thoughts drifted to his friend, the woman he had known since her arrival at the Confessor's Palace as a girl. "…and your mother…well, you're going to love her as much as we all do, if not more. She's truly a tremendous woman who is going to teach you so many things about what it means to be a good Confessor, a kind and compassionate person.

"I know that she already loves you…is going to love you even more when she wakes up," Garren softly told them, needing to change the subject before he broke down with the grief in his heart for his friends.

Drawing a deep breath, he continued to talk soothingly to the girls in his arms. "Oh, and over there…now that's going to be a great place to play and swim. We can all go on picnics together over there near that river…and then…"

Garren suddenly turned around at that point, noticing Cara standing in the room, intently watching him. He smiled sheepishly as he gazed at her.

"Have I ever told you about your Aunt Cara? She's a remarkable woman as well even though she's a cunning thief, but don't tell her that I told you that. She managed to steal your Uncle Garren's heart and I haven't been able to find it since."

Cara could not stifle the laughter that suddenly escaped her lips with her lover's words. The mischievous grin on his face, the playfulness dancing in his dark grey eyes set her heart to pounding, washing away a small degree of her sorrow.

It was so touching to hear his deep voice that could strike trembling fear in any man speaking so sweetly and gently to the girls in his arms. Paige and Priya were completely captivated by him, their attention never leaving his face once even though they couldn't understand a single word he was saying to them.

She slowly made her way to him, her eyes locked on his, a smirk touching her lips. She smiled inwardly as she watched his breath visibly hitch the closer she drew to him. Coming to a stop before him, she finally tore her gaze away from him to look at the beautiful pink bundles cradled in his powerful arms.

It was such a stark contrast standing before her, so incongruent with one another. Her lover so tall, so powerful and intimidating with his wavy black hair that hung to his shoulders, holding these two newborn babies, so tiny and so helpless, wrapped in their pink blankets.

And it made her heart expand with even more love for him than she had ever dreamed possible.

"Don't listen to your Uncle Garren," Cara told them with a smirk, her eyes gleaming with love as they locked on the steel grey orbs gazing so affectionately down on her. "He's not as innocent as he looks."

Cocking an eyebrow, Garren chuckled softly, knowing precisely what the Mord'Sith was implying as she took Paige from his arms. He felt his heart ignite with his passion for her as he watched his beloved holding the baby so tenderly in her arms. Despite her brazen exterior, Cara had a mothering instinct to her that naturally rose to the surface whenever she was around the twins.

"And Aunt Cara is anything but innocent," he breathily murmured as he leaned in, brushing his lips softly along hers. "And I would have her no other way," he whispered before kissing her more fully.

They stood there for a moment, kissing as they held Richard and Kahlan's daughters in their arms, each dreaming of the day when it would be their children they were holding.

Pulling back, Garren nuzzled his nose against hers. "Someday, we will have this too," he murmured as if reading her thoughts.

"I would love nothing more than that," she softly admitted to him, suddenly feeling very vulnerable. It was so unlike her to admit her feelings so freely like this, but it was a change brought about by Garren and his love for her.

"I hope you don't mind, but I volunteered us to watch the girls for Lord Rahl while he sat with Kahlan again tonight. I thought he needed a night without having to get up every couple of hours with the babies," Cara told him, kissing him once more.

"I wasn't about to give them up anytime soon anyways," Garren replied, happy with the chance to keep the babies for a while longer. "How's Kahlan? Any change yet?

"No," Cara huffed with the return of her frustrated anger. "It seems Nicci has removed the spell, but she says it will take time for Kahlan to wake."

"Do you believe her?"

"There's a part of me that does, but I don't know if it's just wishful thinking. I still can't forgive her for what she has done to Lord Rahl and Kahlan no matter how much she swears she only wants to help us now," she bitterly replied.

"No matter what happens, we'll be here for them every step of the way," he said, cupping the side of her face, his thumb brushing back and forth along her cheekbone.

His words caused arousal to swim through her veins, the need to feel something more than the ache in her heart beginning to overwhelm her.

"I think it's time the girls took a nap," she seductively murmured as she began to make her way to the adjoining room where they had two extra bassinets set up.

"I like the way you think, Mistress," he grinned as he followed her.

Settling the babies into their bassinets, Cara quietly closed the door behind her. Turning, she was met with a forceful kiss that instantly took her breath away. Her hands reached into his wavy hair, pulling him closer as her tongue found his open mouth.

His arms swiftly snaked around her slim waist before trailing down to her thighs. Grabbing hold of her, he lifted her up, wrapping her legs around his hips as he carried her to their bed with the hope that maybe they would create their own child this time.

XXX

Staring numbly out the window, Nicci stood, leaning her shoulder against the window frame, her arms crossed against her chest as she tried to hold herself together. The day had started out full of such promise and hope. It had brought her so much joy seeing Richard that morning, the sight of him flooding her soul in a wash of comforting warmth like nothing she'd ever experienced, filling her full of peace.

Being around Richard was like breathing in a sunny spring day, giving her new life and making her feel reborn. She wanted to be better for him as well as herself. She always felt more alive when she was around him.

But now, the man that she loved, the man that she would give her life for wanted her life to end.

"…_you will not live to see tomorrow…"_

His voice, his words echoed inside her head for the thousandth time that day. She could not make it stop, could not silence his voice, could not forget the cutting painful edge it had held.

The sight of him so filled with anguish had sucked all of the air right out of her lungs. It was a terrible blow to her heart to know that it was she who had been the one to bring him such heartache. It was her hands, her magic that had put Kahlan in that bed.

Staring distantly out into the night, Nicci played with a strand of long blond hair, absentmindedly wrapping it and unwrapping it around her finger, wishing that she'd never been born with this magic that coursed through her veins. The softly falling snow or the soldiers below patrolling the Palace grounds held little interest to her, not when her heart ached so badly.

She wanted to cry but she had no more tears to shed. She had cried them all away long ago after she had been escorted back to her room.

Exhausted and spent, she found herself just as alone now as when she had woken that morning. She had much to make amends for. Healing Kahlan had only been the beginning.

But if the Mother Confessor didn't wake soon, it would be her last.

"…_I promise you won't live to see tomorrow…"_

Nicci wasn't absolutely certain why the Mother Confessor had not woken after she had removed the embedded spell. She had hoped that Kahlan would open her eyes after she had finished removing the spell, but she hadn't.

Her lack of response had been somewhat puzzling but at the same time, not completely unexpected. She had put Kahlan through so much all because the Mother Confessor had fallen in love with Richard Rahl, had won the heart of the one man Nicci wanted more than anything in this world.

Despite how badly she wanted Richard for herself, she truly hoped that Kahlan would wake soon. Since she couldn't have Richard, then all she wanted to do was to live in complete service to him for the rest of her life. And if Kahlan was the one woman who could bring him so much happiness, then she would do everything in her power to preserve that love for him.

But Nicci couldn't blame Richard for hating her, if he wanted to banish her from his presence or have her executed. She had so selfishly tried to destroy his life and all for what? So she could have what she wanted which was not hers to take?

That's all she'd done her whole life – taking, stealing, snatching whatever she wanted, what she could not have all because she felt she deserved it, because it was owed to her as recompense for what she had endured in her life. She had wanted to cause others to feel the surging pain and anger that ate at her heart, that had built and expanded since she was a little girl.

But Richard had changed all of that. He had so subtly broken through her impenetrable wall of pain and hatred for all that lived and breathed; the wall that she had barricaded herself behind. Just by being who he was, Richard had touched her in a way that no one else ever had, breaking through that barrier before she had even realized it.

Now, all she wanted to do was live to make every day for him as happy and beautiful as she could. And if her death was what brought him a measure of comfort, a sense of happiness then she would gladly plunge that dagger through her heart herself.

She had never been so eager, so willing to die for someone until him. Until now, she had cared little about anyone else but herself except for what they could do for her.

Now, all that she cared about wanted her dead…


	10. Chapter 10

**Thanks for following along! Reviews are much appreciated! :)**

**Chapter 10**

Lying on her side, Kahlan woke to find herself in her bed, still unable to grasp what Richard had told her. She couldn't believe that Zedd was dead. She felt her throat begin to narrow and burn with unshed tears, her sorrow too real.

If Zedd was truly dead, she would have remembered it, would have remembered being at his memorial service. A First Wizard who had passed away was honored with a prestigious funeral, showing the utmost respect for his abilities and service to the Midlands. If he had died, Kahlan would have remembered such an important affair, especially with it being someone who meant so much to her like Zedd did.

But all she remembered was last seeing Zedd at the ball that had been thrown in Richard's honor, the same night that Sister Nicci had appeared right here in their bedchambers. It was the same night her living nightmare began. And despite Richard bringing her back from the past, the nightmare had yet to end.

That had been a week and a half ago or so. Zedd couldn't possibly be gone. Something was wrong – deadly wrong.

And to make matters worse, Richard kept looking at her as if she was mad, his face full of such worry. He was being so overprotective of her, shielding her from something that he didn't want her to know about.

Maybe that something had been Zedd's death. Had Richard been worried that she wouldn't be able to handle the news so soon in her recovery?

Kahlan hoped that was the case, but there was an uneasiness that occupied her heart, telling her that it was worse than even that. The only thing worse would be if it involved Richard or their daughters.

But it wasn't just Richard behaving strangely; Cara was too. With Zedd gone, Kahlan had no one else to turn to that would believe her, that wouldn't look at her with eyes filled with worry that she was delusional.

Garren. Maybe Garren would believe her. They had grown up together at the Confessor's Palace. He'd known her since they were kids. He would believe her. She would have to find a way to talk to him without anyone knowing.

Kahlan had a feeling that the more attention she drew to her suspicions, the worst it was going to become for her. She feared that Richard was on the verge of having her locked away somewhere which was exactly what Nicci had wanted all along.

No, she would have to play along for now, pretending like this was all real, the way life had truly been before she had been exiled to the past.

Hearing someone coming, Kahlan quickly closed her eyes, hoping that she could somehow discover what was happening. She had a good idea of who was behind it, but she had to figure exactly what "it" was that Nicci had done.

"I'm really scared, Cara," Richard softly said as they entered the bedchambers. "Something is wrong with her."

Kahlan felt her heart constrict with the sound of worry that filled his voice. She immediately regretted the fight that they'd had earlier that day, the anger that she had stirred up within him, her cutting words about their love making the night before.

After hearing of Zedd's death, Richard had held her in the corridor as she cried before finally picking her up in his arms and carrying her back to their suite. He had stayed with her until she had finally drifted off to sleep.

When Kahlan had woken just a few moments ago, she found her pillow still wet from her tears, the chair he'd been sitting in still close to the edge of the bed. It caused a flicker of hope to spring up inside of her that maybe things weren't really as they had seemed.

That hope was swiftly being extinguished the longer that Richard and Cara talked.

"I'm sure that she just needs a little time to recover," Cara quietly replied as they stood near the doorway in order to not wake Kahlan.

"Cara, she didn't remember Piper's name, didn't even remember Zedd's death," Richard exclaimed louder than he meant to.

Kahlan could hear the panic rising in his voice, his anguish over what was happening to her. Everything inside of her screamed out that there was something wrong with them, not her. She wanted to jump out of the bed, run to Richard, throw her arms around him and tell him that she was fine.

"Kahlan's been through a lot, Richard, probably a lot more than we know while she was in the past. I'm sure she'll be better in a few days."

Richard? Cara never called him by his first name. She always called him Lord Rahl. Even after all the times that he had told Cara to call him Richard, she had still refused, choosing rather to call him by his title out of respect for him and the faith that he'd placed in her.

"But what about these panic attacks that keep creeping up on her. Spirits, Cara, she couldn't catch her breath this morning. It's not like Kahlan to become so panic-stricken, to lose control like that."

Kahlan could hear the frustration in him as he drew a deep shuddering breath. It pained her to be causing him such grief, but even he did not realize that this was not right, that they were the ones being manipulated and played by the Sister of the Dark.

"We'll get through this just like we've gotten through everything else that's been thrown at us. You can't give up hope yet, Richard," Cara softly said. "Holland and I will keep the girls tonight so you can get some rest and spend time with Kahlan."

Holland? Kahlan felt her heart begin to hammer in her chest, beating harder and faster as she attempted to remain still. Where was Garren?

"Thank you, Cara," Richard murmured. "I don't know what I'd do without you and Holland. I just hope that Kahlan will be better by the time your wedding is here."

"Me too," Cara sadly replied. "She is supposed to stand with me at my wedding. She's like a sister to me, Richard. I can't stand to see her like this. Maybe there is something Nicci can do for her."

"I hope so, but Kahlan can hardly be in the same room with Nicci without completely losing control. What if she slips into the ConDar and confesses everyone around her? I can't take that chance right now."

"We'll think of something, Richard. We just need to make Kahlan see that Nicci is on our side."

"I hope so. I care about Nicci too and I'm not about to send her away just because of Kahlan's jealous delusions," he bitterly replied. "It's not like Kahlan to be so suspicious. Something is dreadfully wrong with her."

"Just be patient with her right now. Maybe she just needs a little more time," Cara suggested. "You're not alone. Nicci and I are here to help you through this."

"Thanks, Cara," he murmured.

Kahlan felt the dread that had become her constant companion begin to well up within her again as she fought to keep her breathing under control. What in the name of the Creator was going on? What had happened to Garren?

Kahlan couldn't bear the thought of losing her childhood friend as well. It was just like that suffocating panic that had woken her out of a dead sleep the other day, telling her that everyone she loved and cared about was slipping away from her.

Was Cara next? Richard? Her daughters?

And Richard admitted that he cared about Nicci, the pain of his words penetrating to her very core. She shivered uncontrollably as a chill she could not shake began to ripple through her again. Trying to clamp down on the alarm rising like a dreaded beast inside of her, Kahlan squeezed her eyes tighter shut against the tears quickly forming.

The iron-clad grip that she had always held on her emotions as the Mother Confessor was swiftly slipping from her grasp. She'd always been able to rein her heart back in no matter the circumstances, pulling everything inside to hide behind the detached mask of a Confessor.

But this was different. This was something that she could not control, like a wild animal living inside of her, rearing its ugly head when she least expected it. She clenched her hands tightly under the blanket that covered her, digging her fingernails into her palms in a desperate effort to keep from falling apart.

Without even realizing it, Cara had left the room, leaving her alone with Richard once more. She could hear him as he began to remove his sword and boots, quietly moving about the room as he prepared for bed.

Kahlan swallowed hard against the fear that had seized control. His presence was beginning to unnerve her, shattering her heart. She suddenly felt as if she was sharing her life, her body, her bed with a stranger.

He looked like her husband, sounded and smelled just like him, made love to her like him, but this man was not her Richard. Something or someone had changed him. She unexpectedly found herself feeling very isolated, trapped in a world that was not her own.

But she was not about to sit back and allow her life or her husband to be taken away from her. She would fight with her very last breathe to get her life back. And anyone standing in her way would find that they had made the worst mistake of their lives when they crossed paths with the Mother Confessor.

Feeling the other side of the bed dip down, Kahlan held her breath, trying her best to keep from moving. She wanted to run, wanted to grab her daughters and escape from this madness, but she would not abandon Richard for any reason. It was not his fault that this was happening. Spirits, he didn't even realize that anything was wrong.

Feeling his strong arms suddenly wrap around her, gently drawing her back against his chest, Kahlan attempted to keep from bristling the moment he touched her. His touch had never brought her anything but excitement and indescribable bliss, igniting within her a desire like nothing she had ever known before.

It broke her heart now to react like this to his touch, to be scared of the feel of his arms sliding around her waist, his chest pressed against her back. Forcing her body to relax, she allowed herself to melt back into his embrace, being careful to keep up the façade of being asleep.

Kahlan pressed her lips together to suppress the moan that sought release as Richard nestled his nose into her hair before seeking out her ear. His pulsing breath was warm against her skin, creating a thrumming sensation that began to course through her veins.

Why did her body always have to react like this to him? This was the one time that her body betrayed her. She couldn't react to his touch, his presence. Not now, not until she had uncovered what was really going on.

"I love you, my Kahlan," he sleepily murmured in her ear as he quickly drifted off to sleep.

_Forever, my Richard_.

She could not say the words that meant everything to her, not if she wanted to gain her husband's trust again. He was too wary around her, afraid of her fragile mental state. She had to find a way to prove to him that it was not her, but something else going on.

And now, she knew that she would have to do it alone.

XXX

"What's going on inside your head, Kahlan?" Richard softly asked her as he stared into her face with a heavy heart.

He brushed away a tear that had suddenly leaked from the corner of her eye, all the while knowing that he would not receive a response from her. She had yet to answer him as he talked to her over the last week.

That didn't stop him, though; keep him from talking to her, from holding her hand and holding her close at night. He told her about everything that was happening except for what was going on outside of the Palace walls. She didn't need to worry about Rahl's attempts to take back his throne or his vile desire to have her as his own because Richard would never allow that to happen.

He hoped with all his heart that Kahlan could hear him, liked to believe that she did. It brought him a small bit of comfort to think that she was listening to him, hanging on his every word as he told her what their daughters were doing each day, about what an amazing great-grandfather Zedd was and how taken Cara was with their girls.

He told her how Garren and Cara had quickly become Paige and Priya's self-proclaimed aunt and uncle, wanting her to know how loved and well taken care of their daughters were.

Above all, Richard didn't want Kahlan to feel that she was all alone, that he had not given up on her. It was important to him that she knew that he was right there with her, was not going to leave her for any reason despite how difficult it was for him to see her like this.

One moment she would be panic-stricken, fighting for each and every breath she drew and the next she would be so peaceful and still that he feared he had lost her. Then a tear would suddenly appear out of nowhere, tricking into her hair and breaking his heart all over again.

Was she in physical pain? Was someone hurting her in the deepest reaches of her mind?

He was desperate to know what was happening inside of her head, what she was experiencing that would cause her to suddenly react the way that she did. She was suffering and he was powerless to do anything about it.

His anger at the situation as well as with himself vied for control with the anguish that was consuming his soul. There didn't appear to be an end in sight.

Seeing that she had settled once more, Richard adjusted the covers over her, making sure that she was comfortable. It was the only thing that he knew to do anymore.

The door suddenly opened quietly, but Richard didn't bother to notice who had come in. It didn't really matter who it was. Nothing really mattered to him much anymore except for his wife and daughters.

"Richard, you need a break. Why don't you go downstairs and get something to eat while I sit with her for a while."

"I'm fine, Zedd," Richard replied in a clipped tone.

He wished everyone would stop worrying about him and concentrate on helping him find a way to bring his wife back. In the beginning, he had patiently rejected their advice and concerns for him, but now after a week of it, it was just becoming more of an annoyance.

"You're not fine, my boy," Zedd gently prodded as he came to stand on the other side of the bed. "You couldn't possibly be fine. You've barely left this suite in a week. You've hardly eaten or slept."

"Why don't we concentrate on saving Kahlan and then I'll worry about the rest?" he snapped, his eyes never leaving his wife.

With a sigh, Zedd folded his hands before him, not wanting to broach a subject that would be too painful for his grandson to consider. He couldn't look Richard in the eye and take away the hope that still burned there.

"I brought some books back from a room I discovered below the Palace. I'm hoping that we can find something that will help Kahlan," Zedd told him, offering him one of the numerous books he'd recovered and brought back with him. "I'm afraid this old brain doesn't remember all of the magical spells that it used to know."

Finally tearing his eyes away from Kahlan, Richard looked up into the sad wrinkled face of his grandfather. Taking the offered book, he felt a sudden spark of renewed hope take hold inside of him.

"I'm sorry, Zedd," he softly apologized with a sigh. "I know you're trying everything you can to save her. I just thought that once Nicci had removed the spell that Kahlan would wake up."

"No need for apologies, my boy. I know how difficult this has been for you," he replied. "Nicci is probably right, though. Kahlan has been through a lot. She probably just needs a little more time."

With a slow nod of his head, Richard looked down at the book in hands, praying to the spirits that it held the answers he was so frantically seeking. He didn't know how he was going to hold on if they didn't find something soon.

Kahlan was his guiding light, the bright shining center of his world. Without her, life was completely empty.

Just then, Garren and Cara unexpectedly burst into the room, both breathing heavily, a look of dread set in their faces.

"What is it?" Richard asked, immediately leaping to his feet.

Cara never reacted to anything in this way unless it was extremely urgent. Before the Mord'Sith could answer, Richard knew by the look on her face that the battle had finally begun. Darken Rahl and his army was at last ready to strike their first blow.

"It's beginning," she breathlessly replied, a grimness in her eyes relaying without words the imminent danger they were all in.

Richard could feel his heart begin to hammer wildly as he stared at her. This was it. This was what he had been born to do – defend the weak and oppressed, to put a stop to the evil that threatened the sanctity of life.

His gaze fell on his wife once more, his soul being torn in two. He knew the agony that Kahlan had lived with in the past – duty versus heart. His head told him to go down and lead his men while his heart refused to leave his lover's side.

He knew that Kahlan would be furious with him if he chose to stay with her when there were others that needed him. Smiling softly, he leaned over her, tenderly kissing her forehead, his resolve strengthening his broken heart.

"I know, my love…I'm going," he murmured against her face. "I promise I will come back to you."

Stroking her hair once more, Richard finally turned his attention back to the dire situation at hand.

"Zedd, I want you to stay with Kahlan and the babies. Protect my girls at all cost. I'm leaving a large contingent of soldiers to guard the Palace."

Zedd smiled proudly at his grandson as he watched the broken husband suddenly transform before his eyes into the hardened warrior and leader that he had been born to become.

"I will protect them with my life."

"Thanks, Zedd," Richard gratefully replied. "Cara, I want you to get Nicci. Remove the Rada'Han. We'll need her magic if we're ever going to find and diffuse the Dragon's Breath."

"You're going to trust that witch?" Cara angrily snapped in shock, her eyes narrowing with loathing.

"We have no choice and no time, Cara," he heatedly stated, his fiery glare immediately silencing any further arguments from the Mord'Sith. "Take some of your Sisters with you. If Nicci tries anything other than helping us defeat Rahl, the Mord'Sith will be able to turn her magic against her. Find the Dragon's Breath and diffuse it before they wipe out D'Hara."

"We will not fail you, Lord Rahl," Cara proudly replied, her eyes dancing with pleasure for the opportunity to serve her Lord Rahl.

"Garren, you're with me," Richard ordered, Garren replying with a fist to his heart in honor for the man who would them into battle. "We end this tonight."


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Rocking Paige back to sleep after her midnight feeding, Kahlan's thoughts were far away from the nursery in the People's Palace in D'Hara as she struggled to determine what exactly was going on.

Ever since waking the other day, she'd had a certain unsettling feeling rolling around in the pit of her stomach, something nudging her brain telling her that this was all wrong. It had all set her on edge.

It was an overwhelming feeling of apprehension that kept eating away at her, growing and intensifying with every passing day. And the look that filled Richard's eyes when he stared at her was like a dagger to her soul, telling her that she was swiftly losing him to something that she couldn't begin to grasp.

Looking up, Kahlan suddenly noticed Richard standing in the doorway of the nursery. Despite everything that was going on, Kahlan couldn't help the flush of need that always swept through her every time she saw him.

His brow was furrowed, his hair disheveled as he stood there watching her, wearing nothing but his sleeping pants. She still couldn't help but want him more than anything at that moment. He'd always had such an intense effect on her since the day she had met him.

"Hi," he simply said with a hesitant smile.

"Hi," she just as softly replied, feeling the sudden awkwardness that permeated the air.

She felt her heart flutter as she looked at him, trying to read all of the emotions passing over his face as he walked towards her, settling down in the rocking chair beside her.

Kahlan lowered her eyes, unable to meet his penetrating gaze any longer. He seemed to be trying to read her, trying to gauge her stability or lack thereof. She felt as though Richard thought she was somehow a danger to herself, to others, to their daughters.

"How are you feeling?" he gently began, leaning forward with his elbows resting on his knees as he intently watched her.

"I'm alright," she lied, avoiding making eye contact as she kept her focus on the baby now sleeping in her arms, her teeth finding her bottom lip.

She was a horrible liar and Richard unfortunately knew it. Even with whatever was going on, Kahlan was certain he would still be able to read her.

His hand suddenly found her knee, bringing her attention back to him. Gazing into the warmth that lived there in those dark brown orbs, Kahlan felt as though she could hide in those soulful depths, those eyes that knew her better than anyone ever had or ever would.

She felt her pulse quicken as he tenderly began running his thumb back and forth, that familiar aching pleasure that consumed her core stirring in the wake of his presence. Richard always awakened that simmering longing with something as simple as a look or a touch. She was powerless against him and he knew that as well.

"Kahlan, I'm scared…I'm afraid that I'm losing you."

The sound of his voice so heartbroken and frightened caused tears to sting her eyes as she looked away from him, anywhere but at him. She couldn't let him see how deeply he affected her, how scared she was that he was right.

"I'm not going to leave you, my love."

"I've asked the healer to come see you tomorrow."

Kahlan suddenly bristled beneath his touch with his words. He truly believed that it was all her, that she was going mad. She had been holding out hope that she had just been overreacting, but now he had just confirmed her suspicions.

She immediately got up, moving to Paige's crib. Standing before the bassinet, she hung her head.

"You think I'm crazy, don't you?" she sadly asked, bitterness permeating her voice as she laid Paige down in her crib, adjusting the blanket around her daughter.

"No, I don't," he unexpectedly murmured softly behind her ear, his breath against her skin sending tingles through her body as his hands suddenly found her shoulders before skimming down her arms. "But I'm terrified that something is wrong with you, Kahlan."

His sudden appearance behind her had startled her, his nearness sending a shiver down her spine. She involuntarily trembled beneath his touch as he nuzzled his nose into her hair, seeking out her earlobe.

She sighed as her heart thumped harder in anticipation as his hands slowly snaked around her waist, holding her flush against his masculine body. Without thought, her hands automatically moved to cover his arms, keeping her in his embrace.

"Richard, there is nothing wrong with me," she breathed as her head tilted back against his shoulder, his lips finding her neck. "I'm fine."

"Kahlan, you didn't remember our daughter's name."

"But…" she began, stopping to take back some of the air he was stealing away with his kisses.

"Spirits, Kahlan…you didn't even remember losing Zedd," he exclaimed with such urgency as he paused his attention to her neck, causing her to suddenly turn around in his arms to face him.

Richard gripped her face firmly in his hands, pressing his forehead against hers. Fear mingled with desire, masking the strength and confidence that usually accented his handsome features.

The site of him so upset, so distraught caused a firestorm of conflicting emotions to abruptly erupt inside of her. Richard really believed that she was slipping away from him. Maybe she really was.

Swallowing past the tightness in her throat, Kahlan whispered, "I'm so sorry, Richard. I never meant to cause you so much worry. I'll see the healer tomorrow, but please will you do me a favor?"

"Anything, Kahlan," he muttered, his brow creasing again as he stared intently into her eyes.

"If the healer says that there is nothing wrong with me and that I am fine, will you please listen to me and believe me when I tell you that something else is going on?" she asked him, determined to make them see that she was not losing her mind.

"Kahlan, I will always listen to you. You know that…"

"I know, Richard, but this is something that is affecting you and Cara. I don't know how to explain it except that events are changing. Things have altered drastically since you brought me back from the past."

"I'm your husband, Kahlan. I will always believe you no matter what. Please, talk to me."

"I want to wait to talk to you until after I've seen the healer and prove to you that I'm not going mad. Once your mind is put at ease, then you will be better able to truly listen to what I have to say."

Richard stared at her for several moments before finally answering. "If that is what you want," he softly replied with a sigh.

Kahlan could see the hurt that swam in his eyes. She wanted to tell him everything – tell him that Zedd could not possibly be dead, that Cara was will Garren and not Commander Holland, and that their baby's name was Priya. But she also knew that he wouldn't be able to listen to her when so many doubts still lingered in his mind regarding her stability.

"Come, let's go back to bed," she finally said, disengaging herself from his hold on her and making her way towards their bedchamber.

Standing in the doorway, Kahlan watched as Richard stood there at Paige's crib for a moment, running his hand back through his hair in that familiar way that told her his mind was at war with his heart.

He finally turned, staring at her for a heartbeat before following her out of the nursery. The look of bewilderment stung like ice picks at her core, but she knew in her heart that this was the best way of convincing him.

Walking towards the bed, Kahlan unexpectedly felt a hand grabbing hers, pulling her to an abrupt stop before turning her around. She suddenly found herself pressed against his body, an open mouthed kiss greeting her slightly parted lips.

Her moan filled his mouth, his breath becoming hers as she melted into him against her will. She was completely defenseless when it came to Richard Rahl and no amount of Confessor's training, no amount of sheer will could ever come close to resisting him. Not now; not after tasting the sweet rapture that he alone could bring.

She had fought against him for far too long since meeting him, against her heart and her magic, the life that she had believed the spirits had sentenced her to as a Confessor. But Richard had completely rewritten what history had taught, what powerful Wizards of long ago had created when they had fashioned the special race of women known as Confessors.

He'd alone had the capacity to love a Confessor far beyond her flawless magic, the magic that was supposed to have been invincible. The magical touch of love had been defeated by the perfect love that came from a pure heart – Richard's heart.

"I love you, Kahlan," he panted softly. "No matter what happens, please believe how much I love you."

"I love you too, Richard," she gasped as he crushed his lips against hers once more.

Kissing him now, she surrendered herself to him, willingly giving herself to him all over again. He quickly swept her up into his arms just like he had swept her off her feet that fateful day in Hartland.

As he carried her to their bed, kissing her breathless, Kahlan silently prayed that the healer would be able to provide the proof that she so desperately needed that there was more going on then they realized.

XXX

A sudden noise at the door alerted Nicci that someone was coming. She felt her stomach quiver at the thought of it being Richard. He had either come to see her because he needed her or to end her existence as he had promised yesterday morning.

Either way, she couldn't help the small smile that touched her lips with the thought of being able to see him again.

She knew that she was being foolish with her fanciful thoughts and hopeless desires that would never come to fruition, but she couldn't help herself. Richard had sparked a joy in her heart that could never be smothered.

The lock clicked and the door opened to reveal Cara followed by six Mord'Sith. Nicci felt her heart falter at the site of the Sisters of the Agiel, disappointed that it was not Richard who had come to see her.

"Sorry, it's only me. Lord Rahl will not be coming to see you," Cara coldly smirked as she made her way to the Sister of the Dark.

Nicci rose to her feet, knowing that this was not going to be a social visit. "How is Kahlan? Has she woken yet?"

Cara's gaze immediately narrowed to daggers on the sorceress as she attempted to judge the sincerity in her question. She bristled with Nicci's use of Kahlan's name, so familiar like they had once been best of friends or even acquaintances instead of enemies.

"No, she hasn't woken yet. You had better pray that she does wake soon or you could find yourself on the wrong end of Lord Rahl's sword," Cara hissed, disdain filling her every word as she came to stand before her.

"I truly hope that Kahlan will be alright. I am sorry for what I have done, Cara. I hope that you will believe me someday."

"You have a long road ahead of you in order to prove it to me, but I'm not the one that you need to be concerned with, at least not at this moment. It seems you've done enough to convince Lord Rahl. He wants me to take you with us to diffuse the Dragon's Breath your master has acquired."

Cara noticed the sudden upturn of Nicci's lips, wanting more than anything at that moment than to slam her agiels into her face and wipe away that look of delight that Lord Rahl had even thought of her. She had no right to be thinking that way about him.

Richard belonged to Kahlan and no one else. Cara would make sure it stayed that way.

"I am honored that Richard trusts me enough to help him in the battle with Darken Rahl," Nicci proudly replied, eager to prove again her loyalty to him. "I will do everything I can to make sure that he and his family is safe."

"You had better because one wrong move and I will happily end your life regardless of Lord Rahl's reaction," Cara glared at the Sister, a sneer fixed on her face.

Cara almost prayed for the chance to dole out some retribution for the pain Nicci had caused her friends. She would be her shadow from here on out.

Dangling the key to the Rada'Han before Nicci's face, Cara wordlessly let her know in no uncertain terms that she was in charge and would quickly force it back on her neck if she didn't obey.

Nicci quickly pulled her hair aside, allowing the Mord'Sith access to the magical weapon. She was anxious to get the collar off of her neck, to feel that magical force that existed in her core and flowed through her veins.

She had let Richard down by not telling him about the embedded spell she had placed in Kahlan's mind, but she would not make that mistake twice. She would finally prove to him once and for all that she truly deserved the faith and trust that he had placed in her.

Feeling the metal slip from her neck, Nicci began to feel the hum of magic returning to her body. She felt alive again, more like herself. And she was more than anxious to pay Darken Rahl a personal visit.

XXX

Finding his horse ready and waiting for him, Richard couldn't hide the joy of seeing Asa again. After everything that had been happening, he hadn't been able to get away to just ride him in weeks. He had been the best present Kahlan had given him beside his daughters.

Drawing closer, Asa began to snort and whinny, stamping his hooves in excitement at the site of his master approaching. Richard smiled at the stead's reaction as he reached up and stroked his mane.

He had never felt such a connection to an animal before Asa. It was as if they were of one mind sometimes, almost knowing what the other was thinking.

Resting his forehead against his horse, Richard drew a deep breath as he attempted to quiet the tempest in his heart. He hadn't left their suite in a week. It was hard now to be away from her, knowing that Kahlan was suffering and there was nothing he could do to put an end to it.

Seeing Asa now, he was reminded of her again, of her love for him.

"Let's do this, my friend," he murmured as he patted the horse before climbing up onto his mount.

Just then, Garren rode up beside him, his sword drawn and ready to follow his leader into battle. Commander Holland was following closely behind him, just as prepared for war.

"Commander Holland, I want you to take the men on the west side of the Palace to protect our flank in case Rahl decides to send his army over those mountains on that side as well," Richard ordered, pointing to the mountainous horizon the sun was quickly sinking behind.

"Aye, my Lord," Holland proudly saluted him with a nod of his head in agreement with his plan. "May the spirits protect you, Lord Rahl."

"You as well, my friend. We'll see each other back here when this is all over," Richard confidently replied.

Unsheathing his sword, Richard held it high above his head as he yelled at the men surrounding him.

"For D'Hara!"

The men immediately broke out into wild cheers, all shouting in response as they prepared to head out into the coming night; their swords raised high in answer to the battle cry.

Standing high in his stirrups, Richard scanned the sea of men that stretched as far as he could see, trying desperately to imprint their faces, both so young and others more mature, into his mind. He was sending these men either to a glorious victory or to their deaths. It was not something that he took lightly.

Settling back into his saddle, Richard gave the signal to open the central gate. Leading the men out into battle with Garren closely by his side, he could feel his blood begin to sing in perfect harmony with the magic of the weapon he gripped tightly in his hand.

The magic infused into his sword inundated him, awakening the connection he held with the weapon in his core. His rage began to rise closer and closer to the surface, growing hotter and hotter as the familiar sensation of hunger for retribution began to pound wildly through his veins.

Staring straight ahead of him, his raptor gaze was leveled on the army quickly approaching over the ridge.

Pressing the blade to his forehead, Richard whispered softly to it, "Sword, be true to me this day."

As confident peace swiftly washed over him, Richard felt the fire in his belly steadily intensifying, coursing through his body with a fierce need to wipe out anyone and anything that stood in the way of peace for his people, his family.

All of his anger and fears over Kahlan that he'd locked away in his heart suddenly burst forth, bubbling up to the surface as well, his deep frustration and hurt furiously seeking release. He needed to free himself of all the pent up anguish before he went mad.

This was the perfect storm, all points converging at this precise moment – the helpless frustration, the fears, the rage, the hurt, the injustice all coming together as they mingled and coalesced in his system, providing him the strength and the endurance to not only fight, but to survive.

And this was something that he knew that he could do for her instead of just sitting idly by holding her hand, helplessly waiting for her to recover from Nicci's spell. Even though the dark sorceress had removed it from her mind, Richard still feared that something more was keeping him from getting his wife back.

Something had invaded Kahlan's mind, dragging her further and further away from him. And when this night was over, he was going to do everything in his power to bring her back despite Nicci's insistence that she would eventually recover. That day was not coming soon enough for Richard's breaking heart.

In this, though, Richard knew that he could do something, protect her and save her from his brother's vile touch. That thought of Darken Rahl touching Kahlan in places that he alone was privileged as her husband and lover to know so intimately, to touch and caress caused a growl of loathing and wrath to leap from deep within his throat, his blade suddenly turning white with the sheer intensity of his fury.

Kahlan deserved to be safe from harm, of never having to fear his brother's threats. Richard knew what Darken Rahl was capable of and it shook him to his very core to think of anything close to that happening to his beloved.

He only had one life to give and he would gladly give it up for her…


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Perched high once again on his favorite cliff overlooking his former Palace, Darken Rahl stood with his hands clasped behind his back as the sun began to disappear behind him. A sudden breeze lifted the longer strands of his hair that hung to his shoulders, causing the flaps of his robe to flutter as well.

He watched with a menacing gleam in his eye as the Altaean army began to descend upon their enemy, prepared to pin his brother's D'Haran forced against the Palace walls and slaughter them all.

With the Altaeans in place exactly where Rahl wanted them, his plan would quickly begin to fall into place after that. He couldn't wait to be sleeping comfortably in his own bed again inside the Palace that rightfully belonged to him. It brought a sliver of a smile to his face as he mulled over that blissful thought.

And if things went according to plan, Kahlan Amnell would be joining him there either willingly or against her will. He personally preferred against her will, but he would take her anyway he could get her.

He felt that thrilling rush of heated arousal surge through his blood only to be stopped cold by the sound of General Egremont's approach. The General had impeccable timing as always.

"What is it Egremont?" he groused.

The sound of displeasure in Darken Rahl's voice sent a slight shiver down the General's spine. He was all too aware by that tone in his voice that he had interrupted his Lord's dark thoughts once more. Of course, when wasn't Rahl's mind filled with dark twisted thoughts.

"My Lord," Egremont stoically began, taking his master's displeasure all in stride as he was long accustomed to doing. "Everything has been put into place. Ambassador Hollis is with a contingent of the Altaean army towards the front line."

"And he has no idea that is where we positioned him?"

"No, he believes that he is waiting to capture any soldiers that may attempt to escape."

"Very good, Egremont," Rahl thoughtfully replied, his eyes narrowing on the scene below. It was growing more difficult to see what was happening with every passing moment. "Our men have their orders?"

"Yes, my Lord. They know to fall back as soon as the attack by the Altaean army has fully begun."

"Hollis and his army were anxious for this battle so I decided to go ahead and let them have it. When they have been defeated, then my dear little brother will believe that he has won and need not fear me anymore. No matter what happens here tonight, I promise you that Richard will suffer in the end."

"And what about the Dragon's Breath we've acquired?"

"I want it kept near our camp under heavy guard," Rahl answered without turning to face his General. He wanted to keep as close an eye on the battle below as possible while there was still some light. "I want to keep it close at hand in case we need it. I don't want to resort to it just yet."

"Aye, my Lord. I will see to it that it is heavily guarded by our best men."

"I want hourly reports on the battle, Egremont. The moment that the Altaeans are close to being wiped out, I want to our men to appear as though we are fleeing. That is when I will make my move."

"Yes, Lord Rahl," the General obediently replied before leaving him alone once more with his perverse thoughts.

Darken Rahl ran his fingers through his dark hair as he contemplated the rest of his plans that he had yet to put into motion. Richard would not begin to fathom what was about to come his way.

Once he was done with Richard, his brother would be begging him for death.

XXX

Silently leaving the underground catacomb of tunnels that ran beneath the Palace, Cara was relieved to find the hidden exit to be unguarded by Darken Rahl's men. She didn't want to have to fight their way out of the Palace just yet. They would be in for a bigger battle later and she wanted to preserve as much of their energy as possible.

Cara had decided that Lord Rahl had been wise in having them take Sister Nicci with them. She had been able to lead them through the tunnels beneath the Palace, getting them where they needed to be much sooner than if they had attempted to grope their way through without her. They could have been lost down there for months.

Making their way through the thick branches, they finally cleared the growth that kept the entrance safely hidden from view. Sounds of battle immediately filled the air, swords clashing, horses galloping, the agonizing cries of dying men suddenly growing silent forever only to be replaced my more screams all combined to create an eerie feeling.

Lanterns and candles from within the Palace as well as the moon sneaking out from behind passing clouds provided a dim glow. The snow crunched softly beneath their boots as they made their way towards Darken Rahl's camp.

Cara hoped to be able to find some of the Altaeans' horses that they could borrow, allowing them to take care of the Dragon's Breath and get back to the Palace as quickly as possible. The longer that deadly weapon was in Rahl's hands, the more potentially disastrous the situation grew.

Even though Garren was with him, Cara still hated the idea of being away from Lord Rahl. Although he was the Seeker and a war wizard, he still needed looking after just like the Mother Confessor did. She found her heart full of worry over both of the men who meant the world to her.

Glancing to her left, Cara noticed the look of sheer determination set in Nicci's face, her jaw set with purpose. She just hoped it was resolve to help the right Lord Rahl and not her former Lord.

Surrounded by six other Mord'Sith, Cara felt confident that they could handle anything that the Sister of the Dark tried to throw at them. Keeping her hand on her agiel, she almost hoped that Nicci would try to escape. She was angry with her for her interference in their lives as well as her obvious infatuation with Lord Rahl.

He belonged with Kahlan and Cara was going to make damned sure that Lord Rahl didn't give into temptation's Mistress. Cara knew that he loved Kahlan above all else, but any man, even the Seeker, was capable of falling for the captivating charms of a beautiful woman who was completely in love with him.

And it didn't help matters that the woman was Sister Nicci.

When Nicci set her sights on something she wanted, nothing on earth or the Underworld below could ever stop the powerful sorceress from achieving her goal.

Cara felt her anger flare with the thought. Once they took care of the Dragon's Breath, she could easily eliminate the witch, telling Lord Rahl that Nicci had been killed in a fight.

She felt a measure of pleasure with the idea. Although trained as Mord'Sith to do just about anything, Cara wasn't certain that she'd be able to look Lord Richard Rahl in the eye and lie to his face even if she believed in her heart that it was for his own good.

She also knew that if she did take matters into her own hands, killing the Sister of the Dark and telling Lord Rahl the truth, he would likely not forgive her anytime soon. Despite the evilness that Sister Nicci had done, he still believed in the preservation of life, in giving people a second chance.

Cara knew because that was what he had done for her, giving her the second chance that she should never have been granted.

Finding herself at a crossroads between what she wanted to do and doing what she knew Lord Rahl would want, Cara growled to herself in frustration. Richard Rahl had already given her life back to her, helping her recapture her humanity. Did he have to live in her head now too?

"We need to head that way," Nicci suddenly announced, her breathing ragged from exertion as well as the cold. "Over that ridge and into a small valley. That is the outer edge of Darken Rahl's camp. That's where the Dragon's Breath will be kept."

Turning to look at her, Cara found Nicci pointing to the right of them, her warm breath coming out in tiny puffs of vapor as it met the cold night air, creating small halos around the sorceress's head. Dressed completely in black, it was difficult to make out her form in the darkness of the night.

Pulling her long blond hair back over her shoulder, Nicci began to lead them in the direction that she had indicated, Cara quickly moving to follow her as well as her other Sisters of the Agiel.

Nicci was anxious to see Darken Rahl, to repay him for all the "kindness" that he had shown her while she had been with him. She had wanted to repay him in kind when he had removed the Rada'Han from her neck and sent her into the Palace in accordance with his plan, but she had held back her hatred of him.

She'd had plans of her own at that point, plans that included capturing the Seeker for herself. Looking back on it all now, she could see the foolishness on her part to have dreamed that she could have taken Richard or that he could ever love her.

If she had just eliminated Darken Rahl when she'd had the chance, they wouldn't be in the deadly situation they found themselves in. Richard wouldn't be fighting in the heat of battle right now, risking his life to save D'Hara from his wicked brother.

If only she had done so many things differently.

Mentally shaking herself, Nicci knew that she couldn't dwell on that at the moment. There was no undoing the things that she had done, no going back to set things right. All she could now was make amends for the utter turmoil that she had helped to create.

"Hold it right there!"

The sound of a man's voice cut through the guilt that laid hold of her, drawing her quickly back to the deadly circumstances at hand. Turning, Nicci saw Altaean soldiers coming over a ridge led by a large man with short blond hair. He held a haughty air of authority over the other men who followed his lead, scorn fixed on his face.

"I am Ambassador Hollis of Altaea. You are now our prisoners. Try anything and you will be executed immediately."

Nicci could feel Cara bristling behind her without even having to turn around. Despite Cara's hostility towards her, she appreciated the Mord'Sith's tenacity and grit. She never had to wonder what she was thinking, whether she respected or hated someone.

Cara made it plainly obvious and Nicci respected that about her. She never had to guess where she stood with her. There was no false pretense to make her wonder what the Mord'Sith was really thinking.

The Sister of the Dark sized up the Ambassador momentarily before finally answering him. "You couldn't possibly feel threatened by mere women now could you, Ambassador?" Nicci sweetly asked, pretending to be completely innocent.

"Those are no mere women behind you, Miss," he spat out, pointing his sword towards the seven women standing behind Nicci. "They are Mord'Sith. Any true D'Haran would know that and shudder in fear and respect for what they can do."

"Well, if you respected and feared them so much then you wouldn't be trying to capture us," Nicci pointed out, tightening her fist.

Standing behind the sorceress, Cara gripped her agiels tightly in her hands, ready to take on the whole army if need be. She didn't know what Nicci was up to, but she was ready for anything the sorceress had up her sleeve.

It took everything that Cara had not to lunge at the Ambassador who had threatened her Lord Rahl and the Mother Confessor a few short months ago. Garren had told her all about the scene that had played out in the Council Chambers. Cara had wished that she could have seen Lord Rahl face off against this wretched man. Now, though, she just wanted to get her hands around his arrogant little neck, snapping it in two.

"Some Mord'Sith have sided with Richard Rahl while others have sided with Darken Rahl, the rightful ruler of D'Hara. Until we know which side you are truly on, you'll have to come with us or be killed where you stand," Hollis threatened them. "We can't allow those who are aligning themselves with Richard and Kahlan Rahl to live."

"Because you're afraid that they will bring D'Hara out from under the dark intimidating shadow that Darken Rahl has cast over the territory, causing everyone to live in terror?" Cara bit out, using every last bit of restraint she had left not to tear the Ambassador to pieces.

Ambassador Hollis chuckled softly at Cara's words before replying, further enraging the Mord'Sith. "So you blindly follow Richard Rahl. He has no right to rule D'Hara especially after bringing that self-righteous wife who maliciously forces people into servitude to sit by his side on the throne. They think that they can change the territory, transforming the way of life that has been ours for generations and upsetting the delicate balance we have maintained. They deserve to be executed for what they have done!"

"It is you who will be put to death," Cara hissed, venom dripping with her every word. She looked as if she could spit fire at that moment.

"Now, now…let's not get carried away here with our opinions. Since the Ambassador has so kindly made our options clear, I don't see that we really have a choice," Nicci calmly interrupted before unexpectedly spinning around to face Cara and the Mord'Sith that had accompanied her, her arms rising menacingly before her.

"I knew it!" Cara cursed under her breath.

She sneered at the sorceress as she started to storm towards her. She knew this was all an elaborate trick. Now they were going to have to take on the Sister of the Dark as well as a contingent of the Altaean army before they had even reached the Dragons' Breath.

Before Cara could take more than two steps, Nicci's eyes began to glow brightly, bringing Cara and the other Mord'Sith to an abrupt stop. The air began to crackle loudly with the force of her magic, a bright light abruptly beginning to spin around them, creating a sort of magical cocoon that encompassed all of the Mord'Sith.

Cara swore under her breath, racing towards the magical barrier the dark sorceress had erected to trap them. Before Cara could try to escape the shield, Nicci turned to the side.

With one hand sustaining the force field around the Mord'Sith, her other hand reached out towards the soldiers. Her lips turned up into a sneer of satisfaction as Ambassador Hollis's mouth dropped open in shock at what was transpiring before him.

Before Hollis or his men could react, Nicci shot forth a blast of magic so powerful that it lit the night sky as each one of the men suddenly burst into flames before dropping to the ground in agony. Rolling in the snow in a futile attempt to extinguish the magical fire, each man burned until there was nothing left but ashes and smoke.

Turning back to her companions, Nicci released them from the protective shield, closing her eyes and slumping slightly with the powerful exertion of her magic. Cara was immediately there, grabbing hold of her arm as she attempted to steady the sorceress.

Opening her eyes, Nicci found herself staring into Cara's face. Stunned uncertainty filled the Mord'Sith's eyes as she gazed back at the Sister of the Dark, unsure of what to make of what had just happened.

"Thank you," Cara mumbled, her brow knitted together.

"No need to thank me, Cara. It is the least I can do to make up for what I have done," Nicci softly replied, smoothing out her hair before straightening up. "We need to keep moving if we are going to find the Dragons' Breath and get back to Richard and the others."

Nicci began to make her way around the blackened corpses that littered the snowy ground, pulling her skirt up to climb up over the ridge the Altaean soldiers had just come over. Cara watched her for a moment before finally following her.

She had been prepared to fight the sorceress with her last breath if need be, but she had ended up protecting them all. Cara still did not completely trust her, but Nicci had just proven herself a little more.

XXX

Sighing, Zedd turned away from the window overlooking the central courtyard below. He had been able to get a glimpse of soldiers as they made their way out in preparation for the battle that lay ahead of them, but now it sat silent and empty.

He prayed that Richard and the others would come out of this in one piece. He shuddered to think about losing his only grandson or any of their friends. It was bad enough that Kahlan lay in a comatose state that they could not wake her from without having to endure any more losses.

Settling his weary bones down in Richard's chair at the bedside, he reached over, taking hold of Kahlan's hand. Squeezing it tightly in his own, he sat staring at her for several moments before finally speaking.

"I wish there was something I could do to help you, dear one, but I'm afraid I am at a complete loss this time," he sadly told her. "You need to fight, Kahlan. You have two beautiful daughters who need their mother and a husband who loves you more than life itself. I fear he won't survive this without you."

Leaning over to rest his elbows on the side of the bed, he brought her hand up, pressing it against his forehead as he held it tightly in his boney ones.

The Wizard began to reach out with his magic as he attempted to get a glimpse of what of going on inside of his granddaughter's mind. Now that Nicci had removed the spell, he was hoping that he would be able to probe Kahlan's mind, to see if he could find some reason for her continued unresponsive state.

All of his other attempts to do so had been met with nothing, not one clue as to what was going on inside of the Mother Confessor. Nicci had told them that Kahlan just needed a little time to recover now that the spell had been broken, but that had been yesterday morning and there had been no sign of improvement since then.

Reaching out with his magic, Zedd began to carefully and methodically probe Kahlan's mind, passing the first level of consciousness, digging deeper and deeper, peeling back each layer until finally reaching into her subconscious mind.

Images not seen in his last few attempts began to suddenly appear, taking distorted shapes and forms before Kahlan's mind abruptly shut him out again. Zedd released her hand, falling back in his chair in alarm at what he had discovered.

He knew. He suddenly knew what was happening to Kahlan.

"Bags!" Zedd angrily cursed, drawing a shuddering breath.

Running his hands over his eyes, he thought he heard something. Immediately opening his eyes and sitting forward, the old Wizard's wiry eyebrows drew close together as he focused on Kahlan lying still in the bed before him.

"Richard…"

The whispered sound of his grandson's name had been barely audible, but it had definitely been there. Although still in a coma, Kahlan had said his name…


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

Checking her appearance once more in the mirror, Kahlan ran her fingers through her long hair before opening the door to the bedchambers. Today she was going to find some much needed answers as to what exactly was going on. With a renewed sense of purpose, she felt better than she had in days.

Entering their bedchamber, she came to an abrupt stop when she found Richard standing in the middle of the room, kissing the forehead of one of their daughters just before they were carried out by two of the servant girls.

"Richard?" she questioned in confusion, panic rising in her chest.

Richard immediately moved to block her from getting to her daughters. He had a look on his face that told her that he was behind this and his reasons were about to be made known to her.

"Kahlan, it's alright," he gently began, grasping hold of her upper arms to keep her where he no doubt wanted her.

"Stop telling me that it's going to be alright! Where are they taking my daughters?" Kahlan demanded to know as she stretched her neck, straining to see past her husband.

Anger burned brightly in her sapphire eyes, the protective instincts of motherhood rearing its powerful head. No one took her daughters anywhere without her knowledge or consent.

"It's just a precaution, Kahlan. I promise I'll bring them back after the healer has had a chance to see you tonight. I just want to make sure that you're alright."

"You're afraid I'll hurt our children?" Kahlan gasped in horror as she stared in bewilderment at him. This couldn't be true, couldn't be happening to her. She was the Mother Confessor. "I thought you trusted me, Richard."

"I do trust you, Kahlan. I trust you with my whole heart, but I want to make sure that there is nothing wrong with you," he attempted to sooth, reaching out to brush back her hair from her face.

"I told you I am fine," she bit out through clenched teeth, her breathing becoming ragged with her growing anger. "Now give me back my babies!"

She felt as though her whole world was falling apart around her. She was swiftly losing her husband, her friends, had lost the man who had been like a grandfather to her, and now her babies. They believed that she was going mad, a danger to herself and her own daughters.

"Kahlan, they are my daughters too and I will protect them at all cost," he angrily growled, his voice rising in frustration. "I can't keep living like this, pretending that you're alright. There is something wrong with you and I'm going to find out what it is."

"And you don't think that I don't want to find out what's going on?" she yelled back, jerking her arms free from her husband's powerful grasp. "I want my life back, the one where you trusted me, where Zedd is alive, Cara believes me, and Nicci is not freely welcomed in my own home! I want a life that includes my husband who supposedly loves me and allows me to hold my own children!"

"And I want my wife back, not one that is angry and suspicious of everything and everyone!" Richard shouted, his eyes flashing with rage.

The look in her husband's eyes suddenly caused her to internally shudder. She had never once feared Richard even when he was in the grips of rage fueled by his weapon. Now, though, she was actually afraid of him.

"The healer will be here this evening. I'm going to be out with Commander Holland today. Stay here and get some rest, Kahlan. I don't want you out wandering the Palace. It's still too dangerous. I don't want anything to happen to you," he said a little more calmly, running his hand through his hair.

As he stepped closer, Kahlan immediately took a step back, afraid for the first time of what he might do to her. She watched as hurt flickered in his eyes as he reached out to touch her, his hand pausing in mid-air as he moved a little more cautiously towards her.

She flinched as his hand came closer to her, breaking her heart. She had always craved his nearness, hungered for his touch. Now, she almost feared it, causing grief to suddenly fill her chest and threatening to sap her resolve.

He slowly ran his fingers through her hair, the palm of his hand coming to rest gently against her cheek. He stared at her for a couple of moments, his eyes softening some, returning to the warm brown that she loved.

Leaning in, he pulled her to him, his lips colliding with hers. Kahlan refused to kiss him back, struggling to pull away from him, but the harder she fought the stronger his hold on her became. Gripping his shirt, she attempted to shove him away, her nails clawing at his chest in an effort to make him stop.

With his lips and tongue he pried her mouth open, his hands tightly holding her face. Tears stung her eyes, a whimper slipping free as she relented to his intrusion but refused to reciprocate. He kissed her more fiercely, trying to force her to return his passion. Her breathing became labored as tears trailed down her cheeks, but he didn't seem to care. It only seemed to add fuel to his sudden fire.

While she craved the times when Richard was domineering and aggressive in his want for her, this was so very different. There wasn't a hint of love behind this kiss, only powerful control and a breaking of her will in submission to him.

Finally pulling back for air, Richard panted, keeping his fierce hold on her. "I love you, Kahlan. Never forget that."

Straightening his shirt and raking his fingers back through his hair again as he attempted to catch his breath, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand before turning and leaving her standing there all alone in their suite.

Furious tears slid down her face as she stood staring at the door that he had just passed through. Her chest was heaving with her anger and frustration. She rubbed her arms in a desperate attempt to stop shaking as well as rid herself of the infernal chill that had seized hold of her since waking.

She knew she could not stay in this suite all day, waiting for Richard's return tonight with the healer. He'd already made up his mind that she was unstable. Now, she was going to have to find a way to prove to him that it was not her.

And she was going to have to start with Sister Nicci.

Marching towards the door to leave, Kahlan stopped dead in her tracks, her hand hovering just above the door handle. She was sure that Richard would've instructed the guards outside of their suite to not let her out or to alert him if she did try to leave. No, she would have to find another way out of here if she was ever going to get her husband and her babies back.

Pacing around the room, Kahlan crossed her arms over her chest deep in thought. Biting her bottom lip, she wandered over to the corner of the room near their bed. Running her fingers along the wall, she remembered that Richard had told her that there was a secret entrance that Nicci had used to enter their chambers. That was how she had been able to sneak into their quarters without being detected and how she had been able to get Richard out unseen.

Gliding her hands along the wall, Kahlan gently pushed at various spots, hoping to be able to find the secret trigger that would open the door. After fumbling along the wall for several moments, she finally found what she had been searching for.

Pushing a small inconspicuous indent, the wall suddenly slid open, revealing a dark passageway. Peering inside, she found small globes lining the narrow corridor, casting a very dim glow and allowing just enough light to safely see where she was going.

There was a distinct eeriness that unexpectedly drifted over her, a chill settling even deeper into her bones. She could almost sense Darken Rahl's presence, could picture him lurking about in these hidden corridors that ran behind these walls. It made her skin crawl.

Looking back over her shoulder once more, Kahlan knew that it was now or never. If she didn't do something soon, Richard would have her locked away forever.

XXX

Fighting hard through the heart of the battle, Richard swung his sword with deadly precision, cleaving the head of one Altaean soldier, thrusting through another. One by one, each had dropped to their death only to be replaced by ten more, ready to take him down. Now, as the sun began to bring light to a new day, he was finally seeing the end in sight.

Exhausted and spent, he swung his sword high, growling with the fierce rage that still brewed inside of him. Hours had gone by and just when he thought he could barely move his arm anymore the magical force of the sword would renew his strength tenfold, giving him exactly what he needed when he needed it most.

It was as if the powerful blade could read his thoughts, sense his mood, and predict his movements. He was one with his sword, the weapon an extension of himself.

Panting wearily, Richard scanned the scene before him, relieved to see that the Altaean army had dwindled considerably. The only thing appearing over that rocky cliff now was the sun instead of more soldiers. They were all lying dead at his feet.

Scanning the gruesome scene before him, he became nauseated by the landscape of death that surrounded him, the horror of the cold lifeless eyes staring back up at him from where they lay on the ground. The anguish of so many lives so senselessly lost cut straight through his heart.

Searching the disfigured bodies, he suddenly noticed something that made his blood flow like an icy river in his veins, the tiny hairs on the back of his sweaty neck standing up with an eerie realization.

All of the corpses surrounding him were Altaean. Some of them were men that he had regretfully lost in the line of duty, but as far as the enemy count went, they were all Altaean. None of them appeared to be a part of Darken Rahl's army.

Dread shivered down his spine as he suddenly turned to look at Garren who was finishing off the last of the soldiers. Richard immediately rode towards him, hoping that his friend had seen some evidence that Darken Rahl's men or Mord'Sith had been present in this battle.

"Garren!" Richard called out to him as the Aydindril Commander sheathed his sword.

"Lord Rahl, what is it?" Garren anxiously asked, taken aback by the look of dread on the Lord Rahl's face.

Exhaustion lined his features, his eyes still smoldering with rage. Blood and dirt was splattered on his face, shirt, and breeches, dripping from his sword and marring his horse. His sweaty hair was matted to his head despite the coldness in the air. Garren wasn't sure how much of it belonged to the dead or if any of it belonged to Lord Rahl.

He hoped it was enemy blood and not Richard's. Cara would be furious with him if he had allowed the Seeker to be injured. Thoughts of Cara caused fear to suddenly rise to the surface of his heart. He hoped that she was alright, that Nicci had not been lying in her sworn allegiance to Richard.

"Did you see any evidence that Darken Rahl's army was here?"

"What do you mean?" he breathed heavily as he studied his leader. "They're all right here around us."

"No, I mean we fought solely against the Altaeans, not Darken Rahl."

"That can't be," Garren shook his head in puzzlement. "They must be here among the dead."

"All of these men are wearing the blue colors of Altaea," Richard pointed out, his eyes still searching the corpses. "The scouting reports we received told us that Darken Rahl's army was now wearing all black so they would not be confused with those loyal to me and the crimson red of the House of Richard Rahl."

"Maybe his men dressed in Altaean blue so as to mingle in with their allies," Garren suggested. "Either that or Darken Rahl sent his army to attack from the other side. Maybe Holland encountered Rahl's army."

"Maybe," he mumbled, hoping that Garren was right in his assumptions, his eyes still narrowed deep in thought as he stroked his chin. Something was telling him that there was more going on than what they were noticing here. He wanted to return and see how the rest of the army was fairing, but he also wanted to get back to Kahlan. "Let's get back to the Palace. I want to see what Commander Holland has discovered. Hopefully Cara will be back too."

Garren sighed in relief as he suddenly realized that if Cara had run into trouble getting the Dragon's Breath away from Darken Rahl's army then none of them would be standing here now. They would have been wiped into oblivion. That at least was a good sign that Cara might still be alright.

XXX

Slipping silently through the woods, they became a part of the shadows around them, morphing and conforming so seamlessly to their environment. Their feline movements made them the perfect choice to diffuse the Dragons' Breath.

Having spent half the night sneaking past enemy lines to reach their destination, Cara was thankful that they'd only had a couple of confrontations. Nicci had easily taken care of both situations, eliminating the threat and preserving their mission.

Cara felt herself beginning to relax a little, Nicci proving herself a little more the further they went. She still didn't fully trust her, but she had shown a measure of loyalty so far and had eliminated two large contingents of enemy soldiers, further aiding their side.

Climbing up the next ridge, Cara could not escape the worry that continually invaded her thoughts. She hoped that Garren and Lord Rahl were safe. She had come so close to losing Garren once. She didn't want to think of it happening again, especially now that they were going to marry.

"Don't worry about, Garren," Nicci softly said as they crested the ridge. "He's a strong fighter just like Richard. They will look out for each other."

"Are you reading my mind?" Cara scowled at the Sister of the Dark, stunned that Nicci had been able to read what she was thinking.

"I don't need to. It's written on your face," she calmly replied, unruffled by the Mord'Sith's abrasive exterior.

"No one can read Mord'Sith, not even a Confessor," Cara huffed, more agitated with herself for allowing her feelings to reach her face than at the sorceress for noticing.

"I'm afraid that you are more human now than Mord'Sith, Cara."

"That is Lord Rahl's doing," Cara softly replied, her tone losing a trace of its bite.

"Richard is an extraordinary man," Nicci wistfully said. "It seems he touches every life that he comes in contact with."

"Yes, he is a remarkable man and I will not allow you to hurt him ever again."

"I don't want to hurt him, Cara," she replied, her voice filled with regret. "I love…"

Cara came to an abrupt stop, her eyes flashing in warning as she glared at the Sister beside her. "When you hurt Kahlan, you hurt Lord Rahl. The two are not separate, but one heart. They are not independent of each other, but one soul. So don't tell me how much you love him or how you can make him happy. No one will ever be able to makes him happier than Kahlan."

Nicci swallowed hard, knowing the truth of the Mord'Sith's stinging words, but it made it no less painful to hear. She guessed that her feelings for Richard were very obvious in her expression as well.

"I know that now," Nicci softly said, averting her eyes under the heated glare of the Mord'Sith. "I will never be able to have Richard or what he shares with Kahlan, but that doesn't change the love I feel for him in my heart. I may not be able to experience his love in return, but I can serve him with my life."

Cara sized up the dark sorceress, trying to assess whether or not she was sincere in her confession. She noticed the look of love and hope that filled her eyes when she spoke of Lord Rahl, but she also noticed the look of sad understanding swimming there as well. It seemed that Nicci did understand that she would never be able to replace Kahlan.

"At least we have something in common," Cara stated as she resumed their journey. "But it may be short lived if Kahlan does not wake soon."

"I don't understand why she is still unconscious," Nicci said deep in thought, searching her mind for a reason behind the Mother Confessor's present condition. "Even after everything she's been through, I would have thought that she would have woken by now. I promise I will do everything in my power to help her."

"I don't know why either, but I do know that Lord Rahl is growing more desperate by the day. If she doesn't wake soon, I don't know what he'll…"

"Over there," Nicci suddenly interrupted, pointing with her chin the direction they needed to go. "That's where Darken Rahl hid the Dragons' Breath."

"Scarlett and Naria, I want you to come around from the right," Cara ordered. "Jacien, Ally…you will take the left side. Fiona and Annalyse you're with us. Follow Nicci's lead. She will be the one disabling the weapons. We are her protection so don't let anything get to her."

All her Sisters nodded in accordance with their orders, respectfully following their Sister's lead. Cara had long ago earned their respect, but now having observed firsthand the freedom and liberty that she had attained under Richard Rahl, she had also earned their admiration as well as their envy.

"It will no doubt be heavily guarded by Rahl's best men so be prepared for a fight," Nicci instructed them.

"We are Mord'Sith. We are always prepared for a fight," Fiona retorted, taking offense to the implication that they were unprepared to fight or to give their life in service to Lord Richard Rahl.

"I realize that, but I just wanted you to know that this is not going to be easy. We're not going to be able to just waltz in and take what we came for," Nicci patiently told them. "And I will not be able to help in the fight and diffuse the Dragons' Breath at the same time. I can do one or the other but not both so you'll be on your own."

"We are more than capable of handling anything they come at us with," Cara reminded her as she clutched her agiels tightly in her fights, the faint humming sound of the weapon filling the air around them.

"I know you are, Cara," Nicci replied. "Be careful. I don't want to have to explain to Garren and Richard how we lost you out here."

Taken aback by the sorceress's words, Cara could only nod in acknowledgement. Nicci had truly seemed to mean what she had said. Following the Sister of the Dark, Cara hoped they would be able to take of the deadly weapons soon so they could return to the Palace and the battle raging there…


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

Cautiously making her way through the network of narrow passageways, Kahlan felt as though she could be lost behind these walls forever, never to be found again. It was amazing how the People's Palace had been so meticulously planned out and constructed, these hidden corridors creating a web all their own and allowing someone to pass through its walls undetected.

It caused a shiver to race down her spine. When all of this had been resolved, she was going to make sure that the passageways leading to their suite were blocked. It unnerved her to think of someone passing through these walls and entering their bedchambers again.

Pausing before another hidden door, Kahlan closed her eyes, retracing her steps of where she had been and the direction that she had been going in, trying to picture in her mind where she had ended up. She didn't want to just barge into any room without knowing exactly what she was getting herself into.

Hooking her hair behind her ear, she pressed on down towards the main level of the Palace despite the ominous sensation that surrounded her. A faint magical hum seemed to fill the air around her, causing a prickling sensation to dance across her skin. These secret passages had definitely been infused with magic, camouflaging its existence and anyone who passed through them as well as creating the faint glow of light that lit her way.

Brushing cobwebs out of her face, Kahlan was relieved to find them in her way. That meant that no one had passed through this particular set of passages for a very long time. She could hear scurrying of feet, tiny little claws scratching across the stone floor. It made her shiver to think what could be creating those noises, but she reminded herself that she had faced much worse traipsing through the endless woods of the territories with Richard and the others.

Her mind began to wander over the last few days since she had awoken to the sound of Richard arguing, insisting that they make their stand here inside of the Palace.

When she had woken that day, she had thought that her world was still intact, the sound of her husband's voice bringing her the sense of security and peace that she had so greatly needed after what she had endured. To know that she was safe with her Richard once more had brought her inexplicable joy.

Now, though, things were not making sense, jagged pieces of her life not fitting together any more. She felt so broken and beyond repair.

Everything seemed so real and yet so distorted at the same time. Richard was not himself, acting at times like the man that she had fallen so deeply in love with and at other times behaving like someone under the control of some unseen force.

Kahlan had to find a way to make him believe that this was not about her. It was not her that was falling apart but the world around her.

Finally finding another hidden door, she paused, pressing her ear against the wall in hopes of finding something that could shed some light on what was going on. And she knew exactly who was behind it all.

Hearing nothing, Kahlan pressed the small lever that allowed her to pass through the secret entrance. Peeking into the room, she was startled to find herself in the central library that had been set up as the main command room. It was the same room where she had found Cara and Nicci in the other day; the day that Richard had told her that Zedd was gone.

The room was empty, maps scattered all over the large table along with rough sketches of the layout of the Palace itself as well as the surrounding public devotion areas and marketplaces. Chairs had been shoved back away from the table as if ghosts were filling the spaces that commanders and generals had once occupied.

Kahlan was beginning to feel a little like a ghost herself, a part of the world around her and yet so detached from it. It was almost like when she had been trapped between the world of the living and the lifeless void of death.

Leaning over, she studied the maps for a moment, not finding anything particular out of the ordinary. Pursing her lips, her brow furrowed as her eyes continued to scan the room, determined to find the proof that she needed.

The distinct noise of boots striking the floor as well as the sound of voices approaching caused Kahlan to freeze where she stood. As alarm began to swell, her legs suddenly grew heavy, not wanting to hold her up any longer or carry her away.

Finally gaining a sense of self-control, she ran to the secret passage, the door sliding closed only moments before Cara and Nicci entered the room. She felt her heart hammering as she attempted to rein in her swirling emotions.

Kahlan cautiously placed her palms against the wall, pressing her ear against it as well, her breath coming out in ragged pulls for air. She was certain that they could hear her heart pounding out of her chest as she listened. She just prayed that Nicci's magic wouldn't alert the dark sorceress to her presence on the other side of the wall.

Kahlan knew that Nicci had to be behind all of this, manipulating Richard and Cara, pulling the strings behind her elaborate plan to get what she wanted. Little did the Sister of the Dark know that Kahlan would fight with her very last breath for the man she loved. She would not give Richard up so easily.

But what if Nicci was what Richard wanted now? Her hand flew to her mouth to suppress a sob at the sudden thought that had intruded her mind. She didn't think her heart could accept it if Richard no longer wanted her, no longer loved her.

She loved him with her whole being. She knew that she couldn't deny him the happiness that he so deserved. And nothing was more important to her than his happiness, not even her own.

And if Nicci could make him happier than his own wife could, then how could she stand in the way of that?

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she listened, desperate to find anything that would restore her life to the way it used to be. She just wanted her Richard back, to have him look at her again with the explicit love and trust that he had always filled his eyes.

Kahlan didn't think that she could handle seeing that questioning look in his face or the suspicion that permeated his expression every time she found him staring at her. No matter what had happened in the past, Richard had always trusted her, believed her when she told him that something was wrong.

Now…now the one that held her heart thought she was losing her mind.

She could feel that escalating tempest brewing in her core, overwhelming panic and dread begin to take control of her. She couldn't allow it to take root again, overpowering her with an intensity so great that it dropped her to her knees.

She felt a trembling begin from somewhere deep within, working its way outward, coursing through her body as it sought release, building and intensifying with every beat of her heart. She bit her bottom lip in a futile attempt to quell the feelings, to not allow it to seize her in its fierce grip.

She dug her fingernails into the wall as she pressed her forehead against the cool stone. Squeezing her eyes tightly shut, she begged the spirits to make it stop as her tears fell faster. She couldn't take this anymore.

Her world was falling away from her, draining her strength and attempting to drag her down into some dark abyss that she would never be able to climb back out of. Alleged proof of her instability kept piling on top of her, threatening to bury her alive.

Steeling herself, Kahlan focused her thoughts on Richard, on her love for him. He needed her right now, needed her to be the strong Kahlan that he fell in love with. Her daughters needed their mother, one that they could depend on to love them, protecting them from the evils surrounding them.

Between each gasping breath, she could make out bits and pieces of muffled words being spoken on the other side of the wall as she fought to keep control.

"…she's gone mad…"

"…Lord Rahl is angry…losing his patience…"

"…healer will tell him…lock her away…"

"…he's beside himself with worry…"

"…I'll help him…comfort him through this…"

The sound of Nicci's voice, so eager to replace her caused her blood to sear through her veins with the extent of her rage. She clenched her teeth, balling up her fists. It was all she could do not to tear through the wall and eliminate the dark witch once and for all.

Kahlan began to feel the stirring of the powerful magic that lived within, struggling to break free and release her from the torment that had seized hold of her world, but it would not come.

Why wouldn't it come?

She needed to get to Richard to tell him what she had discovered before the healer came to lock her away just like Nicci wanted. If that happened, she would never see Richard again, her beautiful daughters. They would all belong to Nicci. The thought of the dark sorceress making love with Richard, raising her daughters as her own began to push her that much closer to the edge Nicci wanted her to plunge over as dread clutched her throat and stealing her breath.

Unable to bear it any longer, Kahlan began to run through the passageways, desperate to escape. She raced around corners, knocking into walls and tripping over her skirt. Tears stained her face, dirt collecting on her dress and skin. Cobwebs clung to her hair as she ran back to the safety of her suite.

She had to find Richard, make him believe her.

Her breath came out in ragged gasps, her heart thundering in unison with her steps. Her vision continually blurred and then cleared, pooling with tears only to spill down her cheeks like a waterfall of grief.

The words that she had heard echoed over and over again in her head, threatening to cause her to collapse in on herself. She wanted to break free of this nightmare that her life had become, but not at the cost of losing her husband or her daughters.

She somehow managed to find her way back to her suite, anger and confusion storming wildly through her mind and heart. Everything in her life, everything that she had trusted and loved was being ripped away from her, turning her world upside down.

Maybe she was truly going mad. Maybe it was her that had been wrong all along instead of everyone else. She knew that Richard would never intentionally hurt or deceive her.

With trembling fingers, Kahlan pressed the lever, opening the secret door to their suite. Stumbling inside, she was stunned to find Richard pacing back and forth on the other side of the room.

He suddenly stopped at the sound of her entering their bedchambers, panic mingled with anger set in his face. He immediately strode across the room to her, reaching her in what seemed like just a couple of short steps.

"Spirits, Kahlan!" he exclaimed in relief. "Where have you been? I've been frantic with worry. I've got every guard in the Palace searching for you."

He swiftly pulled her into a fierce embrace, burying his face into her hair. She melted into his arms, his chest muffling her sobs. She wrapped her arms around his muscular frame, clinging to him with every ounce of strength she possessed.

She felt that if she could just hold onto him with all that she had, keeping her arms around him like this then everything would be alright again. He would never leave her, wouldn't take her daughters away from her. Her life would normal once more, Zedd would be alive, Cara would be like her sister again and Nicci would just be a distant horrible memory.

Her fingers began to dig into his back, drawing herself even closer to him, desperate to crawl inside of him and hide from all the turmoil swarming inside her soul. She didn't care that her face was pressed so tightly against his chest that it made breathing difficult or that she was so drained that she just wanted to collapse.

All that mattered at that desperate moment was hanging onto the man she loved with all her might. For if she let go, she somehow knew in her heart that she would lose him forever.

His sweet reassuring whispers in her ear as he rubbed her back began to draw her back from the brink of perilous darkness, calming the panic that consumed her. He began to release his hold on her, attempting to draw back to gaze into her eyes, but she tightened her hold on him all the more, too distraught to let go of him as she sucked in more air before pressing her face into his chest again.

"Kahlan," he softly began. "It's alright; I'm right here. What happened? Where did you go?"

"I…I had to find out what was happening," she sobbed, her face still pressed against him as she clung to him like a frightened little child. "Nicci…she's behind all of this, Richard. I know she is…"

Richard unexpectedly jerked away from her, causing her to almost lose her balance with the force with which he pushed away from her. Stunned, she stared into his face so full of anger it caused her to involuntarily tremble beneath his withering glare.

"Stop it, Kahlan!" he shouted at her as he began to pace back and forth in front her like a caged beast. "Nicci is not behind anything. She's been worried about you. We all have."

"Richard, please…listen to me," she frantically said between each shuddering breath. "Nicci is manipulating you…controlling your mind. I heard…"

"I don't care what you think that you heard, Kahlan. There is something wrong with you, something that is causing you to lose your mind and I can't stand by and watch it happen anymore," he yelled at her in frustration. "I can't do it any longer. I'm sorry, Kahlan, but I'm going to have to keep you restricted to your own room for your safety."

"Richard!" she gasped in horror as she began to back away from him, her eyes growing wide in disbelief.

"I'm sorry, Kahlan," he softly said in defeat, raking his fingers back through his hair. "It's for your own good. I can't let you run around the Palace, searching for answers that just aren't there.

"You're suspicious and hostile; your memory is failing you. You suddenly have these panic attacks that come out of nowhere. You're not the same woman I fell in love with," he regretfully told her as he came to stand before her.

"Richard, you can't be serious," she whispered, trembling fingers covering her mouth in shock.

Reality was no longer hers to grasp. Everything that she had known and loved had abruptly vanished right before her eyes just like a vapor.

How could he do this to her? She had to escape, had to get out of here and away from the man she loved. It wasn't supposed to be like this. He was supposed to love her and no other, stay by her side. He vowed to be hers' forever.

Tearing her eyes away from her husband, her eyes fell upon the open door of their bedchambers. If she ran, she might be able to escape before Richard could get to her, before the guards even knew what was happening.

Without a second thought, Kahlan immediately darted for the door, slipping past Richard as despair took hold of her heart. Powerful arms were suddenly wrapping around her waist, roughly pulling her back and holding her against him.

She fought and kicked with all her might, swinging her arms in a futile attempt to force him to let go of her, but it was useless. He was to strong and she was too heartbroken to fight for very long against her own husband.

The man that she had given her life to had now betrayed the heart that he had won.

"Let go of me!" she screamed, clawing at his arms around her waist.

"Stop it, Kahlan!" he angrily growled at her, hauling her off of her feet as he struggled to make his way to the door. "This is for your own safety. Once we heal you of whatever has happened to you, I will release you, I'll let you back into our bed and see our girls, but not until then."

"You don't understand! Nicci is behind this!"

"This is killing me inside to do this to you. I love you too much not to do something to save you," he told her, grinding his teeth against the claw marks she was leaving on his arms. "You're a danger to yourself as well as everyone around you. These panic attacks could cause you to slip into ConDar, confessing everyone in the Palace. I can't risk that."

"Let me go! I want to see my babies!"

"You can't. I won't let you hurt our daughters."

Making his way out of their suite and down the corridor, he hauled Kahlan into a small guest room where Nicci stood waiting. Her face was solemn and filled with feigned regret, doing little to diminish the fiery rage coursing through the Confessor's veins.

Kahlan suddenly lunged for the sorceress, desperate to confess her and make her admit her sins to Richard. Then he would believe her. He would know once and for all that she was not going mad, but that Nicci was behind everything in her wicked attempt to steal Richard from her.

She stretched out her hand, frantic to bring on the Blood Rage that she so greatly needed at that moment. Richard tightened his grip on her, pressing her flush against his body, her feet a couple of inches off the ground.

"Stop it, Kahlan!" he shouted at her. "Nicci has done nothing wrong. She wants to help you get better."

"She wants me put away so she can have you for herself!"

"I'm sorry to have to do this to you, Kahlan," Nicci softly said as she came to stand before Kahlan who was now completely restrained by Richard.

Reaching out to her, Kahlan suddenly noticed a Rada'Han in her hands. Kahlan struggled, moving her head back and forth trying to keep from having the magical collar placed around her throat.

Before she knew it, the collar snapped into place, her magic immediately vanishing from within her. She released a strangled sob as a dead void took the place where her Confessor's magic had once been.

Her arms were suddenly forced out before her, rope finding their way around her hands and her wrists. Panic-stricken by the sight of the rope as well as Richard's abandonment of her, Kahlan fell to her knees when he released her, her wrists bound tightly together.

"I'm so sorry, my love," Richard murmured as he stood behind her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't ever call me your love again," she seethed, jerking away from him. "You just lost that right."

Her whole world had truly just been taken away from her.

Keeping her back to him, she waited until she heard the door shut, the lock clicking before giving herself over to the turmoil that was eating her alive…


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

Finally riding into the safe confines of the walls of the People's Palace, Richard wearily surveyed the scene before him. Many of his men lay wounded and dying, healers as well as servants rushing about to tend to their injuries.

Commander Fellows stood in the middle of the chaos, barking orders and directing care. Richard watched as the Commander's face visibly relaxed when their eyes met, his shoulders falling slightly with sudden relief.

Dismounting from their horses, Richard and Garren immediately made their way to him, anxious to find out where they stood now that they had defeated what they had hoped was the majority of the Altaean army.

"What's the latest report?" Richard asked, his gaze falling upon the injured and dying men around him.

His heart felt like lead in his chest, knowing it was his orders that had led to all of this, had caused these men to lose their lives. But now was not the time to mourn. There would be time for tears later.

"So far those killed numbers in the hundreds with at least three hundred or more wounded, Lord Rahl," Commander Fellows regretfully answered, his eyes studying his leader. "There are more being brought in every minute."

Lord Rahl was covered from head to toe in blood splatter, sweat, and dirt. One of his sleeves was barely hanging on, a deep gash in his upper arm visible, but appeared to go unnoticed by the Seeker. His hair was disheveled, his eyes lined with exhaustion but the fire of anger still burned in its depths.

He was a striking figure of courage and strength. Despite his appearance, there was still an air of commanding authority, his presence demanding full attention and respect. He truly was the Lord Rahl, rightful ruler of D'Hara and he had more than proven that last night, wiping away any lingering doubts that some secretly may have held.

Richard rubbed his eyes in a futile attempt to rid them of the dirt and grit that had settled there as well as the exhaustion. It was no use. Running his hands back through his hair, he knew nothing short of a long hot bath was going to make any difference right now. And the only person that he ever cared about impressing was unconscious and beyond his reach right now.

"Have you gotten any reports from Commander Holland yet?"

"Yes," Fellows responded. "I just received word that they were able to intercept the Altaean army that had come over the mountains in an attempt to take you from the left. Commander Holland took his men and was pushing on towards Rahl's camp to make sure that no further attacks were coming."

"Good," Richard muttered, his mind a chaotic whirlwind of exhaustion, anguish over his wife, and sorrow for the senseless loss of so many lives. This was not something he ever wanted to grow accustomed to doing as Lord Rahl. "I want updates as soon as they come in. Send Commander Holland to me as soon as he returns."

"Aye, Lord Rahl," Fellows replied, his fist striking his chest in salute.

"Has Cara returned yet?" Garren asked, concern escalating the longer he went without hearing from her.

"No, Commander Garren, I'm sorry. Her party has not returned yet."

Garren swallowed hard, only able to nod his head in answer to Fellows. He didn't want to think about what was actually happening to her, what he was unable to prevent from harming her. Instead, he turned his thoughts back toward the gruesome situation at hand.

Garren quickly fell in step with Richard who was surveying the ghastly scene that spread out in an appalling sea of death and dying. He felt sick inside for these men who had given themselves so willingly in the fight for freedom and for the territory they loved, so many losing their lives all because of Darken Rahl's demand to have his throne back. He couldn't wait to get his hands on him, but he knew that Richard had first rights to his head.

Walking along side him, he watched as Richard moved among the bodies lying on the ground. His face was pale beneath streaks of dirt and blood mingled with sweat. His eyes were filled with such sorrow over the loss of so many lives. He knew how much value Lord Rahl placed on each life and it was clearly visible how deeply this was affecting him.

Stopping abruptly, Richard kneeled down beside a young soldier, barely in his twenties. He carefully helped prop the wounded man up, grabbing a water skin and giving him a drink. The man had a terrible gash that split straight across from one side of his ribs to the other. How he was still breathing let alone conscious was beyond Garren.

"What's your name?" Richard gently asked, helping to ease the man back down on his pallet after he'd drank as much as he could.

"Damion, sir," the young man murmured, stunned to be offered a drink from the Lord Rahl.

"You fought bravely today, Damion. Your family will be very proud of you as we all are," he told him, squeezing his shoulder in reassurance.

"Th…thank you, Lord Rahl," Damion stammered, still in complete awe of the compassionate man kneeling beside him.

He could hardly wait to return home to tell his family that he had personally met Lord Richard Rahl, the ruler and savior of D'Hara. He had never been more proud to be a D'Haran soldier as he was that morning. Beaming brightly at his leader, Damion felt a sudden surge of renewed strength, an urgency to press on and recover from his serious injuries. He couldn't wait to return to the front lines in order to serve and protect his leader with his life again if necessary.

"You have nothing to thank me for, Damion. You rest now. I'll make sure a healer comes by soon to see to your injuries."

"Thank you, Lord Rahl."

Richard smiled at the brave man lying on the ground who was grinning excitedly back at him. He had to laugh to himself at that moment. This young man was acting as if he had just met the Creator herself and in fact he had only met a simple woods' guide from Hartland.

He was no one of importance, his life no more valuable than any of these other men who had fought with such bravery. He was just a man, fulfilling what he had been born to do and no more. Every person was born with a sole purpose for their life, one that only he or she alone was born to accomplish.

It just so happened that Richard Cypher had been born to become the Seeker of Truth, husband to the most powerful Mother Confessor in over a thousand years, and the Ruler of D'Hara. His purpose in life was no better than another's…only different.

Moving on, Richard continued to kneel beside each of his men, talking to them, encouraging them and thanking them for their brave service. He helped bandage some wounds, providing drinks of water for others, and at times holding the hand of a dying soldier who didn't want to be alone at that frightening moment of passing on into the Underworld.

He wanted more than anything to be able to use his Han to heal every one of these men, to keep them from being ushered into death, but the fight had left him completely drained, barely able to think straight at that moment. He was still struggling at times to touch his Han when he was thinking clearly.

Garren moved along with him, helping the healers in their tasks and covering the bodies of those who had lost their final battle. After pulling a blanket over the body of one particular young soldier, Garren wearily stood to his feet, rubbing his eyes with exhaustion. No matter how many battles he fought in, no matter how many lives he had taken, it never became any easier to see life being so senselessly snuffed out.

The work seemed endless as he surveyed the bodies lined in the central courtyard where just hours ago they had been cheering each other on before heading out into battle. Now, it was covered in an endless landscape of wounded bodies, blankets covering the bodies of fallen men scattered here and there.

Thoughts of Cara kept invading his mind. They had come back a couple of hours ago and still no word from her yet. Seeing a ranking soldier pass by, he grabbed hold of his arm, hoping that the man would have some information for him about his lover.

"Has Mistress Cara and her party returned yet?"

"Standing right behind you, Commander."

The arrogant sound of her voice caused a smile to suddenly break across Garren's face. Standing to his feet, Richard shook his head with a lop-sided grin as he watched his friend swiftly turn around to face the woman he loved.

Seeing her standing there with her hands on her hips, her blond hair tousled and her face flushed pink from the cold air, Garren fought the urge to run to her, to gather her up in his arms and hold her forever. Right now, though, he knew he would have to settle for an exchange of knowing looks that spoke silent volumes of what was beating inside their hearts for one another.

Her bright green orbs shone with a love so fierce that it caused a shiver of desire to course through him, her eyes beckoning him to come taste what she could offer. And he knew exactly what she could offer him.

"You two look terrible," Cara said, cocking an eyebrow and hoping that the blood on them was not their own. "I leave you two for a few hours and this is what happens to you?"

Sauntering over to them with a smirk on her lips, Cara reached up, pulling Garren down into a heated kiss, taking her lover completely by surprise. Garren quickly responded to her sudden public display of affection for him, wrapping his arms around her slim frame and drawing her even closer, relishing the feel of her in his embrace.

Richard smiled softly as he watched his best friends, overjoyed by the love they had found with each other while at the same time heartbroken that he couldn't be with his wife. He missed Kahlan so deeply at times that he thought he would go surely go mad from the intensity of his anguish.

Nicci stood behind Cara, her eyes fixed solely on Richard. He looked as if he had been to the Underworld and back, causing her heart to ache for him. He looked so lost, so broken and alone as he watched Garren and Cara. She could see the grief swimming in his eyes and she wanted nothing more in that moment than to repair his broken heart.

But it was something not even her powerful magic could heal.

Richard's eyes suddenly fell on Nicci, causing her breath to catch in her chest. His deep brown eyes seemed to bore through her, penetrating to her core and making her want to do anything he asked of her. She felt her pulse quicken with his intense stare, wishing that he would look at her the way that he always looked at Kahlan.

This penetrating gaze was not filled with love, but hurt and anger.

Nicci wanted to throw herself into his arms, to have him kiss her the way Garren was kissing Cara. But she knew that would never happen. It was all just a fantasy, a blissful illusion that would never come true except for in her dreams.

Instead of a kiss, she received a question.

"You were able to disarm the Dragons' Breath without much trouble?" Richard asked, his voice clipped and to the point, very Lord Rahl like at that moment.

"Yes, I was able to diffuse the weapons. They are safely disposed of," Nicci proudly replied, overjoyed that she had been able to accomplish something for him, to bring him a small measure of comfort in her sincere effort to please him.

"Nicci did well. She protected us from several attacks, quickly taking care of the Dragons' Breath," Cara admitted as she stood beside Garren.

"That's pretty high praise coming from a Mord'Sith, but even more so coming from Cara," Richard told Nicci, his face not revealing even a hint of what he was feeling inside for her at that moment.

Did he still want her dead? Had she proven herself to him now, allowing her the opportunity to serve him even more?

"Thank you, Cara. I appreciate your praise," Nicci softly said, unable to tear her eyes off of Richard. "I only wish to serve you, Richard. I want to make amends for the pain I have caused you and Kahlan."

Richard immediately bristled at Nicci's use of his wife's name, causing his eyes to flash with the depths of his pan and reminding him once again of what he was losing because of Kahlan's current state. He drew a deep shuddering breath, desperate to return to his suite so he could see her, hoping beyond hope that she was finally awake.

"I'm going back to my suite to get cleaned up and check on Kahlan. Garren, I'm truly grateful for all you did this night. I can't thank you enough for watching my back, my friend," Richard warmly said as he clasped his friend's hand. "Cara and Nicci, you did well too. Now, go and get some rest. I'm sure this is far from over."

"Lord Rahl, please," Nicci began as she started to walk towards him. "Let me heal your arm first."

"It's nothing, Nicci, really. I just want to get back to Kahlan."

"It will only take a moment or two. It's the least I can do for you," she quietly said, her eyes pleading with him to allow her to heal him.

With a sigh, Richard nodded his head in agreement. Nicci moved to stand beside him, placing her hands just above his wounded arm. She felt a stirring in the pit of her stomach standing so closely to him, her eyes fixed on the muscular curve of his bicep, her breathing becoming shallow with her heated thoughts of him.

After a couple of moments, Nicci stood back, removing her hands and revealing new pink skin where a deep gash had once been. She smiled softly, happy to have healed the man that she loved, further protecting his life.

"Thank you, Nicci," he evenly said as he looked down at his arm. "I'm afraid that you'll still have to wear the Rada'Han for now and stay in your suite for the time being. I hope you can understand."

"Yes, I understand, Richard. I know that I cannot possibly win your trust over night, but I am grateful for the faith that you've placed in me so far," she said, trying to keep the warmth from rising to her cheeks with his close proximity to her.

"I'm going to see to Kahlan. Cara would escort Nicci back to her suite?"

"Yes, Lord Rahl," Cara told him as she placed the Rada'Han around Nicci's neck. "Maybe Zedd has been able to wake Kahlan."

"Nothing would make me happier at this moment than to see those bright blue eyes looking back at me when I enter our bedchamber," he sadly replied, tears welling up in his eyes.

Nicci quickly fell in step behind Richard, Garren, and Cara, her fingers absentmindedly brushing along the cool steel collar that Cara had placed around her neck once more. She hoped that Kahlan was awake too. Maybe then Richard would finally trust her, allow the Rada'Han to be removed.

She so desperately wanted to be counted among Richard's close friends. If she could not be his lover, then she at least wanted to be considered one of his most trusted friends.

And hopefully someday, maybe the mother of his son.

XXX

Entering the suite, Richard was anxious to get cleaned up, climb into bed and curl up next to his Kahlan. He just prayed that she was alright, that she was finally awake. The one person who provided him the strength he needed to endure all of this chaos was lying unconscious in the center of his firestorm.

He needed her to be alright.

Opening the door to their bedchambers, he felt the jagged pieces of his heart sink further in his chest as his eyes fell upon his wife, just the same as when he had left her last evening. Tears burned in his eyes and in his throat as he stood in the doorway, grief and frustration, anger and guilt continuing to eat away at him.

Even though he had expended so much of his energy and rage in the battle he'd just fought in all night, seeing Kahlan still like this made him want to unleash his sword on someone, anyone just so he could empty himself again of the relentless pain consuming him inside.

"Lord Rahl, are you alright?"

Swallowing back his heart, Richard slowly made his way to the bed. He just wanted to crawl in there with Kahlan and tell her all of the struggles and frustrations, all the fears and hurts that were weighing so heavily on him, the fact that he had sent so many men to their deaths.

"Katrina, where's Zedd?" he asked, his brow wrinkled with concern.

"They sent for him to help with the casualties. He asked me to sit with Lady Kahlan until either he or you returned," Katrina gently replied, hopeful that Lord Rahl would not be too upset that he found her here instead of the Wizard.

"Thank you, Katrina. I just didn't want Kahlan to wake up all alone…if she woke at all."

His hope as well as his strength was swiftly being extinguished. He was hanging on by a very thin thread of hope. He didn't know what would happen if that thread finally snapped. He shuddered to think about it.

"Why don't you get cleaned up, Lord Rahl? I'll stay here with the Mother Confessor until you return."

"I won't be long. I just want to get a bath and change out of these clothes."

"I'll be here when you return. I'll also have some food sent up. You look like you could use something to eat."

"Thank you, Katrina. Could you also send Zedd here as soon as he returns? We have to find a way to save Kahlan. I refuse to go another day like this, without finding the answers I need to help her."

"I will see to it at once," she said with a sad smile.

Although having only known them for a few short months, Katrina had grown very fond of Lord Rahl and his wife, but especially of Kahlan. Her smile brightened everything around her, her cheerful outlook so very contagious.

Her absence had been noticed throughout the entire Palace and had been deeply missed. She had come into a very dark dreary place, spreading her happiness and a love for life everywhere she went. She had cast light and hope into the darkest reaches, abolishing all of the hatred and wickedness that Darken Rahl had instilled in this place.

Richard paused in the doorway to the washroom to look at Kahlan once more, longing for the moment that her eyes would open and she would give him the smile that belonged only to him.

He watched as Katrina gently placed her hand of top of Kahlan's, a look of great sadness filling her face. It warmed his heart to see the love everyone had for his wife. At the same time, bitterness and anger seeped into his soul. He needed her back with him. He would settle for no less, fighting with everything he had to make that happen…


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

Sitting in the farthest corner of the room, Kahlan rested her forehead on her drawn up knees, her arms wrapped protectively around her legs, her hands bound tightly with rope. She couldn't stop trembling or the tears that refused to cease.

She felt as if she had just been mercilessly swept back in time once more. She was a small girl again, being punished by her father. This was all too similar, drudging up painful memories that just threatened to push her straight over the cliff she had been teetering on since waking over a week ago.

Richard…her Richard had actually turned against her, taking Sister Nicci's side over his own wife. How could he do such a thing to her? He had vowed when he had married her to love her, to trust her and protect her forever. And she had believed him; with every bit of her heart she had believed him.

Now, though, Kahlan didn't know what to accept as true.

She was losing faith in everything and everyone that she had believed in, including herself. All she knew was that her whole life was collapsing before her very eyes and there was nothing she could do, no one to turn to for help. No one believed her. She felt so lost, so very alone and it was terrifying her to her core.

Even all the loneliness she had endured growing up under her father's tyrannical abuse, the lonely existence of a Confessor that she had thought she had been sentenced to live before Richard was never as heartbreaking as this was.

She had tasted true love only to have it torn from her grasp. To have the man that she had given her heart to, a man who was not confessed to her but loved her beyond her magic, turn against her was more painful than any sword or dagger ever could be.

Kahlan had been overjoyed when they had discovered that she and Richard could truly be together. It had been something unheard for a Confessor. She had never wanted anything more in her life. But now, the fairytale life that she had dreamed of having with Richard was being stolen from her.

Then again, maybe it was her. Maybe she was truly unstable. Maybe she should see what the healer could discover about what was going on with her. If she just accepted the way that life had changed, what her life had become then maybe everything would be normal again.

Except that Zedd would still be dead and Nicci would still be welcomed in her home, free to do whatever she wanted including stealing Richard away from her.

Clenching her jaw, Kahlan could feel her rage rising up from her core, desperately seeking release as it flowed through her veins. Her chest tightened with the thought of Nicci taking her place, taking her husband and her daughters.

Her breathing became ragged, her mind racing with how everything had changed. Her life was no longer hers anymore, everything in a continuous state of instability. She kept reaching out, desperate to seize hold of the things that she had trusted in and relied on, only to find that everything had fallen away from her, just beyond her grasp.

She felt as if she had been shoved off a cliff…falling, falling, further and faster with no end in sight. She was free falling, desperately reaching out for something or someone who would keep her from hitting the ground, but there was no one to catch her…not even Richard.

She was all alone.

The tears started falling again, her sobs racking her body. She was the Mother Confessor and she had lost her grip on reality. No wonder Richard didn't want her anymore, had locked her away.

Kahlan was startled when she felt a sudden hand on her shoulder. Looking up, she found herself staring into the concerned eyes of her Richard. He was kneeling down beside her, his hand on her back.

"Kahlan, it's alright. I'm right here," he murmured, leaning in and pressing his lips to her temple before brushing her hair away from her face.

Kahlan wanted to throw herself into his arms, to have him hold her and comfort her, tell her that he had made a mistake. She wanted him to remove the rope from her wrists.

Instead, she pulled away from him, curling up tighter into a ball to get away from him. He was the one who took her daughters away from her, had locked her away, allowing Nicci to put the Rada'Han on her neck and binding her hands with rope.

Peering at him through her eyelashes wet with tears, Kahlan felt her heart constrict at the anguish that passed through his eyes when she pulled away from him. He hung his head, releasing a heavy sigh.

"Kahlan, I know that you're furious with me for doing this to you, but it's only because I love you," he softly said, sitting back on his heels.

"This…this is love!" she yelled at him, raising her bound wrists before him, her eyes hard with hurt and anger.

"I'm sorry, but it's for your safety until we can figure out what is wrong with you," he gently replied. "Here, I brought you your favorite to eat. It's oatmeal with dates."

Kahlan's brow creased at she stared at him in confusion, his outstretched hand offering her a bowl of food. The sincerity in his eyes made it difficult to know what to believe anymore.

"Richard, I hate dates."

"Kahlan, it's your favorite especially when you're not feeling well," he said, his voice growing anxious.

"You of all people know why I hate dates and why I'm terrified of having my hands bound by rope," she hissed through clenched teeth, her chest heaving with frustrated anger.

He alone knew the horrors of her childhood. He alone knew her pain and suffering, the deep scars that she carried with her. And he alone had been the one that had begun to heal those wounds.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he slowly said, shaking his head back and forth in bewilderment, closing his eyes in frustration.

"Damn it, Richard! Stop it! You know what my father did to me as a child! He bound me with rope when I wouldn't do what he wanted me to do, locking me and Dennee in a closet," she seethed with the painful memories. "And dates were his favorite. He made us eat them even though we hated them."

Richard stared at her for several moments before standing to his feet. He slowly walked over to a nearby table, setting the bowl of food down. His head lowered, he stood there for a moment with his back to her before finally speaking.

"Kahlan, you are very close with your father, always have been. Your mother's death brought you and Dennee closer to him despite being released from the power of confession. It was difficult for you to leave him in Aydindril when we decided to come to D'Hara so I could claim the throne. You set him up to help Dennee rule Aydindril in your absence."

Kahlan began shaking her head in disbelief. It wasn't true. It couldn't be true. Why was he lying to her like this, tormenting her so? It was all lies.

"That's not true!" she screamed, tears saturating her face. "My father abused me and Dennee after my mother died and the confession was removed. Sisters of the Light rescued us from him. And Dennee…Spirits, Richard! She was killed several months ago in an attempt on my life."

She watched as Richard slowly turned towards her, his face a mixture of grief and exasperation. He rubbed his face with his hands, struggling to keep his emotions under control. He moved to sit on the foot of the bed, facing her.

"Kahlan, none of what you said is real. You mind is making up a past that never happened. You're very sick, you need help and I'm going to see that you get it whether you believe me or not," he firmly said.

"Did you ever stop to think that maybe there is something wrong with all of you, that I'm the one who is right and you're wrong?" she cried, her voice trembling, her chest heaving.

"We're all the ones who are going mad?" he questioned her, skepticism filling his face as well as his voice. "Kahlan, why would everyone else be wrong and you're the only who is right? That doesn't make any sense."

"I don't know, but I'm sure Nicci is behind it!"

"Kahlan, enough! I'm sick of hearing your suspicious accusations against Nicci!" he yelled, leaping to his feet. "She has done nothing but try to help you."

"Why do you keep taking her side over mine?" she growled, struggling to her feet. "You trust her more than you trust me! Do you love her more than you love me too?"

She watched as his face grew hard, his eyes dancing with rage as he glared at her. She stood defiantly before him, refusing to back down or let this go until she got to the bottom of this insanity.

"How could you even think such a thing of me?" he said with a deadly tone. "I thought you loved me, believed me when I told you that nothing happened between me and Nicci."

"How does it feel to have the person you love not believe you?" Kahlan angrily snapped back.

She immediately drew back, however, when Richard abruptly strode towards her. He was breathing heavily, anger filling his entire countenance. She had hurt him and she knew it. She could see the evidence of it in his face.

"I have always believed in you, in us and our love, but right now, you are not stable, Kahlan. You are unable to make your own decisions and as your husband, it is my duty to do what is best for you even if you hate me for it," he heatedly replied, his eyes swimming with anguish.

"If you are so worried about doing what is best for me, then why won't you even consider the possibility that Nicci could be behind all of this? Are you afraid to find out that the woman you care about is not who you believed she was?"

"Kahlan, you're being irrational. Nicci is only my friend. She's…"

"Is she who you want in your bed, Richard? Is she who you want to raise our daughters?" Kahlan yelled at Richard, overwhelmed with the extent of her pain.

Kahlan didn't have time to react. He was just suddenly there, grabbing her by the arms and kissing her hard, unleashing the passion that pounded furiously through his body. The kiss was fiercely intense, causing desire to suddenly burn like fire through her veins. Even with all the hurt and anger that permeated her soul, it was impossible for her to stop loving him with her whole heart.

She whimpered softly, fighting the urge to give herself over to him in that kiss, but, Spirits, she loved him so much. She found her mouth opening for him against her will, begging him to taste her, to love her again and wash away her fears and her pain.

She gasped when she found her back suddenly pushed up against the wall, his body pressing firmly into her and causing her mind to go numb. She moaned when he involuntarily ground his hips into her, his growing desire pressing against her belly. She wished with all her heart that she could believe that his mounting arousal and need was truly for her and her alone. But now, she didn't know what to believe.

His hands were suddenly in her hair, massaging her head as he pulled back for air. Panting heavily, he stared into her eyes, his nose brushing against hers. He peppered her face with kisses, erasing her tears with his lips.

Kissing along her cheekbone, his mouth found her ear, his tongue teasing it lightly before finally speaking. "I love you, Kahlan. Nicci could never do to me what you can, never make me feel such passion like you, create such a heated need to burn through me like you.

"But Nicci is a close friend and I will not send her away just because you don't like her or you think that she is out to get you. You need to get a handle on your anger and jealousy or you're going to drive us apart."

"Then, please… Richard…why won't you give me a chance? Why won't you believe me?" she softly sobbed.

"Because I can't," he murmured, running the tips of his fingers gently along the curve of her face, studying her exquisite features. "Something is seriously wrong with you. It's no one else but you. I refuse to stand by and watch my wife fall apart and not try to do something to save you."

Kahlan felt the flames of need suddenly shift into the fire of anger and hurt. There was nothing she could do, nothing that she could ever say that would make him believe in her again.

With a strength she thought she no longer had left inside of her, she swiftly shoved the man who owned her heart away from her causing him to stumble back. Her face hardened as she glared at him, as she fought to catch her breath.

"Just leave," she coldly said as she slid down the wall and back into the corner that became her safe haven.

"Kahlan, I…" he began as he started to make his way to her.

"Just leave!" she shouted at him, closing her eyes tightly against the sudden wash of tears.

"I'll be back with the healer," he firmly said. "I'm not giving up on you, Kahlan Rahl. I'll do everything in my power to make you whole again, my love."

"I told you not to call me your love," she spat out. "Just go, Richard."

Pressing her forehead against her knees once more, Kahlan could feel him staring at her for several moments before releasing a heavy sigh, finally leaving her alone. She didn't even look up when the door suddenly slammed closed, locking behind him. She knew that she had hurt him, upset him even more, but she no longer cared.

She found she no longer cared about anything. Life was meaningless without Richard and her girls. There was nothing else in this world to live for anymore.

XXX

The soft sound of his name suddenly began tugging on his senses, attempting to bring him out of the depths of sleep. His mind and body tried to fight against the need to wake, but his heart could not ignore her. It was his Kahlan.

"Richard…"

Sitting bolt upright, a relieved smile broke across his face, tears abruptly shining in his eyes as he stared in disbelief at his wife. Her voice was weak, but she had definitely said his name.

"Yes!" he exclaimed as a single tear slipped down his cheek. "Yes, Kahlan. It's me. I'm here, my love."

"No…Richard…please…don't…"

"What?"

"No…don't do this…" she murmured so softly he wasn't certain he had heard her.

"What? What is it, Kahlan? What's happening to you?" he asked her, desperation welling up within him.

"Richard…don't…"

"Kahlan, please wake up. I'm right here with you. I'm not going to let anything happen to you."

The sudden silence that followed his heartfelt promise to her was almost unbearable as he studied her face for any sign that she had truly heard him, that she understood what he was saying to her.

But there was nothing but tears leaking from her eyes. Shifting to straddle her, Richard leaned over her, grabbing hold of her face, his thumbs brushing along her cheekbones. Something was happening inside of her mind and it was something that Kahlan thought that he was doing to her.

Spirits, he was the one causing Kahlan this pain.

He couldn't bear the thought. How could she possibly think that he would ever hurt her? He would sooner die than bring her pain. He had to make her know that he was there, that what she thought she was living was not real.

Burying his hands in her hair, he pressed his forehead against hers, attempting to reach out to her the only way that he knew how – with his heart. That was how they were connected, that's what bound them as one and that was how he was going to reach her.

"Please, Kahlan…please feel my presence, feel my love for you…" he pleaded, squeezing his eyes shut.

Focusing with all his strength, he reached deep within himself, remembering that the first day he met her was the first day he loved her. Memories of all of their stolen kisses, knowing glances across the campfire, the first time they made love, their wedding day as well as their passionate wedding night drifted through his heart and mind.

Remembering the night that he had returned to her, telling her they were having twins and making love until morning caused a warmth to suddenly awaken within his core. Keeping his focus on Kahlan, he remembered that day that he had found her humming to herself in the nursery, folding all of the clothes and blankets that she and Cara had bought that day, a breathtaking glow lighting her beautiful face.

His Han suddenly roared to life, surging through his body and into her mind. All of the sudden, he saw her. He caught a glimpse of Kahlan, sitting in the corner of a room, her wrists bound tight before her. She was sobbing uncontrollably.

He tried to call out to her, to let her know that he was there, that this was not real, but he could not speak. And then just as suddenly as the vision appeared, it was gone.

Releasing his hold on her, Richard sat back on his heels, his chest heaving from the use of his magic as well as what he had seen. She was in pain, bound by the very ropes that terrified her.

He growled under his breath, enraged that she was suffering like this and that he was helpless to save her. But Kahlan had spoken for the first time in a week and it caused hope to take root in his soul. It had been sweet music to his ears at first, but her words after were a dagger to his heart.

Shifting off of her, he rolled her over into his arms, resting her body firmly against his, wrapping his arms and legs around her in hopes that she would somehow feel his closeness, know that he was there. He would always be there no matter what occurred.

The Keeper himself could not drag him away from her.

"Shhh, it's alright, my love. You're safe. I won't let anything hurt you," he soothingly whispered before pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I love you, Kahlan…forever."

He released a sigh of relief as her tears abruptly ceased, thankful that he had somehow been able to settle her, feeling like he was finally getting her back. Sleep quickly grabbed hold of him again despite his desire to stay awake in case she needed him again.

Finally surrendering, Richard drifted off to sleep, hope causing a soft smile to touch his lips. He had finally heard his lover's voice…


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

Standing in the central courtyard, Richard surveyed the bodies that surrounded them. More blankets covered the bodies of the dead than there had been that morning when he and Garren had returned. The stench of death filled the air and burned in his nostrils, but he refused to leave just yet.

After awakening to Kahlan's cries that afternoon, he had drifted back to sleep for a couple more hours before sending for Katrina to come sit with Kahlan.

After dressing, he had stopped to see his girls, their little faces delighting his heart in the only way a father's daughters ever could. He had held each one in turn, talking to them and telling them how much he and their mother loved them.

Finally tearing himself away and returning them to the servant girls who were caring for them, Richard had made his way down to the courtyard to check on his men as well as hoping to find Zedd. He was anxious to talk to his grandfather, to tell him that Kahlan had spoken that morning. He was hoping there was more they could do to finally bring her back to them once and for all.

Unable to find Zedd in the courtyard, Richard had soon lost himself in helping the healers. He spent time talking to his injured men, offering them his gratitude and full support, asking them about family and loved ones back home. He helped feed some, redressing the bandages of others.

Fussing with a bandage that would not tie the way he wanted it to, Richard was pulled from his work by a hand on his shoulder. Looking up, he found himself gazing into the face of his favorite Mord'Sith.

"You know a true Lord Rahl would not be down here performing menial labor while there was a war going on outside of these walls," Cara told him, cocking an eyebrow.

Standing to his feet, Richard brushed his hands off on his pants. "Well, I guess then I'm not the true Lord Rahl after all," he smiled mischievously at her.

Placing her hands on her hips, Cara smiled broadly as she stared at him. There was something different about him this morning, something that she had not seen in his eyes in a long time. There was a flicker of joy in those brown orbs, a renewed sense of hope.

"What?" Richard asked, his brows knitting together as she stared at him.

"Oh nothing," Cara replied. "It's just that I haven't seen a smile on your face in a very long time. It's good to see it again."

"That's because I heard Kahlan's voice this morning."

"Kahlan's awake?"

"No, she's not awake…at least not yet, but soon," he said, sorrow returning to his face. "She spoke in her sleep, she said my name, and that alone has given me the strength again to move mountains, to keep fighting no matter the odds."

Cara smiled in relief, happy to see her Lord Rahl beginning to return to his old self again. With everything that had been going on, she hadn't realized just how broken he truly had become, how much of himself he had really lost in all of this.

"I'm so relieved," Cara said, hooking an errant strand of blond hair behind her ear. "Hopefully she'll wake soon. I know she'll be excited to see Paige and Priya."

"We'll finally be a family, Cara. Kahlan hasn't even held her daughters yet, gotten to feed them or take care of them. I haven't been able to see her blue eyes or her smile in so long…" he told her, his voice trailing off, unable to go on any more.

"I'm sure she'll be happy to see you after she gets to see her babies. The girls are probably growing tired of looking at Zedd's wrinkly face."

Richard couldn't hide his amusement with Cara's comment. She always seemed to know how to make him laugh, her sarcastic remarks always seeming to catch him off guard.

"I can hardly wait to see the look on Kahlan's face when I hand her our daughters," he thoughtfully said.

"Well, I'm afraid that you're going to have a very hard time prying them from Uncle Garren's arms. He's very attached to those little girls and they seem pretty fascinated by him."

"I know and I couldn't be happier that they have you and Garren to watch over them and love them like Kahlan and I do," Richard smiled at her. "And someday, when you and Garren have children of your own…"

"That day will have to wait for now. There are too many things that need to be taken care of here. I've got my hands full already with you, Kahlan, the girls, Garren, Zedd…"

"By the way, have you seen Zedd? I have to talk to him about Kahlan."

"Yes, he's in the main storage barn. They converted it into a treatment area for the wounded soldiers."

"I need to talk to him before it gets too late," he told her, looking up to see that stars were beginning to fill the sky, peeking out from behind the growing cloud cover. "I'm hoping that he might be able to do something to wake Kahlan tonight."

"Lord Rahl!"

Richard turned at the sound of his name to find Commander Holland riding into the courtyard, his sword held high with something large protruding from the tip of it. He swiftly dismounted, quickly making his way to Richard and Cara.

"Commander Holland," Richard happily greeted, relieved to see his First Commander had safely returned. He had been growing concerned that he and his men had not reported back in yet.

"Lord Rahl, I brought you a present," he proudly announced, presenting his sword to his Lord, a head sitting on top.

Richard stared in stunned disbelief at the head, the wide dark eyes staring back at him. He could hardly believe what he was seeing, that it could be true. His heart began to hammer in his chest with the ramifications of what this all meant.

It was the face of his brother staring back at him.

Darken Rahl was dead. It was over. Kahlan and his daughters, all of D'Hara was finally safe, free from the maniacal tyranny that his brother brought with him and his deluded ideals. He didn't have to worry about the threats his brother had made against Kahlan because they would never come true now.

"How did you get to him?" Richard asked, dumbfounded as he continued to stare into the black eyes gazing back at him.

"One of my men stumbled upon his body while we were chasing the last of the Altaean army. He found him lying face down on the ground already dead, a dagger sticking out of his back. We brought his head back as evidence to you so you could see the truth of it with your own eyes."

"I wonder who got to him," Richard murmured, deep in thought. "Cara, your Mord'Sith didn't come across him when you found the Dragons' Breath did they?"

"Not that I'm aware of. We did split up into teams of two, but they would have told me if they had killed him. Besides, Mord'Sith don't use daggers."

"You're right about that," he absentmindedly replied as he continued to study his brother's face.

He looked like Darken Rahl; his eyes, his hair, his face all identical to this brother's, but there was something about this that didn't sit well with him. This was all a little too convenient for his liking. No one had any knowledge of how he had been killed or who had actually done it.

"Lord Rahl, what would you like me to do with Darken Rahl's head?" Holland asked, still pleased with his discovery.

"Set it on a pike out in front of the central entrance to the Palace so all can see that we have finally won. Darken Rahl's reign is over forever."

"Aye, my Lord," Holland replied with a fist to his heart.

"And get some rest, Commander," Richard told him before turning to leave, a smile lighting his face. "You have more than earned it, my friend."

"Thank you, Lord Rahl," Holland bowed his head, delighted with Richard's praise.

Falling in step with him as Richard made his way to the barn, Cara crossed her arms over her chest. "Do think that is really Darken Rahl's head?"

"I hope it is, but I'm not entirely convinced. He's wormed his way back into our lives too many times to count him out so easily. I want everyone to stay on alert until I am convinced. I want Zedd or Nicci to examine the head, make sure it is really him."

"And what are you going to do with Sister Nicci?"

"Right now, she's the least of my concerns. She can stay in that room until I decide what to do with her," he bitterly replied.

"You know that I'd be the first one to tell you to execute her," Cara began, drawing a long breath before continuing. "But she really did come through for us last night. I don't know if it's a trick or not, but she had ample opportunity to destroy us or to turn against us and she didn't. I think that she may truly be on our side."

"Are you going soft on me, Cara?" Richard asked, giving her a sidelong glance, a smirk on his face.

"No, I'm not telling you to welcome her with open arms and let her have free reign over the Palace. I'm just saying that we might need to keep her around for a while."

"I was planning on it."

"You had told her that if Kahlan didn't wake soon, Nicci would not live to see tomorrow. That was two days ago."

"I know what I said, but it was said in anger. I'm not going to execute her," Richard said as he came to a stop. "But if she tries to hurt Kahlan again or either of my daughters, I will personally run her through with my sword."

Seeing the fury dancing in her Lord Rahl's eyes, Cara did not doubt his words. He would not allow his family to be hurt like this ever again.

"Good," Cara murmured before resuming their way to the barn. "Just wanted to make sure we were on the same page."

XXX

Entering the supply barn, Richard stopped short at the number of soldiers who lay in rows inside. He had been sickened by the numbers out in the courtyard. That paled mightily in comparison to this.

He felt a sickening wave of nausea sweep through him, but he kept moving, making his way to where Zedd was on the far end of the barn. He was leaning over a man's leg, his eyes closed in concentration, his brow glistening with sweat despite the cold night's air.

Coming to stand behind him, Richard waited until Zedd finally sat back on his heels.

"There, my boy. That should do the trick. Your leg will be as good as new in a couple more days," Zedd warmly told him, squeezing his shoulder.

"Thank you, Wizard Zorander," the young man gratefully replied with a weak smile.

"No thank you necessary. You just concentrate on getting better, young man."

Standing wearily to his feet, Zedd turned to find Richard and Cara standing behind him. He smiled upon seeing his grandson and friend. He had received word earlier in the day that both of them and Garren had all safely returned, but it was good to see them with his own eyes.

"Richard, my boy!" Zedd greeted him, wrapping his lanky arms around his grandson. "I'm so glad you made it safely back." Releasing him, he turned to the Mord'Sith. "And Cara, my dear. Glad you returned safely to us as well," he smiled, pulling her into a hug which she reluctantly returned.

"Zedd, I have to talk to you," Richard interrupted the greetings.

"I'm glad you're here. I need to talk to you too," he grimly replied.

"It's about Kahlan," both men said at the exact same time, both anxious to tell each other what they had discovered.

"What about Kahlan? Did you discover what is happening to her?" Richard asked, desperation rising once more. It was becoming his constant companion, a dark menacing shadow that followed him wherever he went.

"Yes, I wanted to tell you when you first returned, but I was summoned to come down here and help with the wounded. They were coming in faster than the healers could handle. I wanted to get away to talk to you, but it's been a constant flow of casualties."

"Kahlan spoke this morning, Zedd. She said my name," he excitedly told him.

"She said your name last night as well. It was some time after you left to begin the battle," he uneasily replied.

He felt a warm rush flood his heart, knowing that his lover had said his name. The brewing excitement that Richard had felt since he had heard Kahlan speak that morning suddenly turned into an icy cold hand of dread. The look on his grandfather's face told him that what he had discovered was not good.

"Zedd, what is it? What aren't you telling me?"

"Richard, I tried again to reach into Kahlan's mind to see what I could discover and what I found is not good. She's trapped inside that imaginary world from the spell that Nicci planted inside of her."

"I know, but Nicci removed that spell, releasing her from it. Kahlan's talking now which is more than she has done all week."

Cara stood silently watching the exchange before her. Zedd was growing more and more grim by the moment while Lord Rahl's excitement was swiftly shifting into panic.

"That's the problem, my boy. I finally figured out what is happening to Kahlan. Nicci cast a dangerous spell called an entrapment spell. It is planted deep within the mind, locking the person into the subconscious. What they think, hear, taste, feel is all very real just as if they are really living it."

"I know that, Zedd, but Nicci removed it. Kahlan is beginning to wake from it," Richard insisted through clenched teeth, his anger building along with his terror.

"No, I'm afraid she's not, Richard. The dangerous part of the spell is that the more she believes in the false reality, the more Kahlan becomes trapped in. It begins taking on a life of its own, so to speak.

"Things begin changing, events in the person's past start altering and twisting as the mind creates its own world of existence. The longer Kahlan gives herself over to that world, the longer she believes that it is real, the chances of saving her are next to impossible."

Richard stumbled back a few steps, his eyes wide in shock, his mouth hanging open as if to speak or scream, but nothing came out. This could not be happening…not now, not to them.

"But I saw her, Zedd," he murmured, tears collecting in his eyes.

"You saw her?"

"Yes, this morning. She was saying my name, crying over and over for me to stop. I didn't know what she was talking about. I tried to calm her. I held her face in my hands and concentrated on my love for her. I tried to pour my heart into her so she would know that I was there.

"I felt my Han awaken and then suddenly I was there inside of her mind. I saw her sitting in a corner of some room. Her hands were bound with rope. She was crying. I tried to call out to her, but I couldn't speak. And then it was gone again.

"She seemed to calm a little after that. I thought because she was talking in her sleep that she was getting better," he anxiously choked out, grief-stricken by what he was hearing.

"I'm afraid it's just the opposite. The more she talks, the more she responds, the more she is giving in to the world she has created in her mind."

"There has to be a way of saving her," Cara interrupted, heartbroken as well by what she was hearing.

Cara couldn't stand the thought of Paige and Priya growing up without their mother, of Lord Rahl having to go on in life without his wife. She couldn't imagine having to move on without her friend.

"There is one way that we may be able to reach her, but it's very dangerous, Richard."

"I'll do whatever I have to in order to bring her back," he heatedly replied, the fire returning to his eyes. Fighting for her was all he had left.

Sighing deeply, Zedd wondered if he should even tell him what could be done. If it went well, they would have Kahlan back. If it failed, they would lose so much more. It would be an extraordinary price that would be paid, but he knew that his grandson would willingly pay it tenfold just have his Kahlan back.

"It would involve a mind merge."

"A mind merge? What do I have to do, Zedd?" Richard insisted, his anger pumping through his body.

"It would mean merging your mind with hers. In theory, it puts your subconscious mind inside of hers. You would have to find her, make her believe that what she is seeing, what she is living is not real. You would have to make her trust you in order to bring her out of that world."

"How soon can we start?" he adamantly demanded to know, his jaw clenched with resolve.

"Richard, there's more…"

"There always is," Cara huffed with a roll of her eyes.

"If you can't get her to trust you, if Kahlan refuses to leave, then you will both be trapped inside of her mind. I will not be able to bring either of you back. You'll both be lost forever, Richard."

"I don't care, Zedd. I'll do whatever I have to do to bring her back."

"Richard, you have to consider…"

"I can make Kahlan trust me. She loves me and I love her. She'll believe me," he argued, his patience running thin. "If you don't help me get her back, I'll find someone who will."

They were wasting time debating all of the 'what if's' while Kahlan was being dragged further and further away from him and reality.

"You don't understand, Richard. Her mind has locked her inside of a non-existent world. Things that you two have experienced, things that you've endured, events that have shaped your lives will not be the same in her world. Things will have changed."

"Changed how?" Cara asked, not liking the idea of Lord Rahl being put in such danger, but knowing enough not to try and talk him out of it. It was pointless where Kahlan was concerned.

"For instance in reality, you have twin daughters. In Kahlan's mind, she may only have one daughter that she gave birth to," Zedd attempted to explain, feeling as though Richard was not fully grasping the extent of the chaos Kahlan's mind truly was in.

"Why would she believe such a thing?" Richard asked, his fingers unconsciously finding his hair as he racked them back through the strands.

"It's the nature of the spell. Once it has been triggered, the spell begins to grasp hold of different memories, changing the way they happened or that they happened at all. It's how it creates its own world by feeding off of life experiences, her inner-most fears, memories that she holds close to her heart, things that she loves. It causes a war between the world her mind creates and her subconscious which knows the truth.

"That's also why the spell is so dangerous. Once it has taken control, it becomes highly unpredictable. And once you're inside of Kahlan's mind, you will be viewed as an intruder, a threat who is trying to destroy her life."

Richard felt as if his heart was about to burst from his chest, his head spinning with Zedd's explanation. Thoughts of Kahlan consumed his mind. He would risk everything for her without a second thought.

But now, he had two little girls that depended on their father to take care of them as well…


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

Slowly opening her eyes, Kahlan found that she had fallen asleep in the corner of the room, the same corner that she had made her private refuge in the midst of her living hell. With no one to hold her, the wall had become her only comfort as well as her pillow at some point while she had been sleeping.

Straightening her neck she found that she was very stiff from falling asleep curled up into a ball, huddled into the corner very much like she had done as a little girl when her father had locked her and Dennee in the closet.

She groaned with every limb she straightened, every move she tried to make. Attempting to brush a strand of hair out of her face, she remembered that her hands were still bound tightly with rope. Seeing the reminder from her past around her wrists, Kahlan felt panic begin to awaken from its depths all over again, threatening to wrap its icy fingers around her.

She couldn't let it get control of her, not again, not if she was ever going to escape and get help. She had to get help. Hopefully whatever Nicci had done was limited to just the People's Palace.

Nicci was a very powerful sorceress, but she couldn't possibly be able to control everyone in all three territories. Kahlan knew that if she could escape to Aydindril, she could get help. If Dennee truly was alive, her sister would believe her, help her return to D'Hara to save Richard and her babies.

A sob unexpectedly rose up in her throat. Kahlan didn't know what to think, who to trust in or believe anymore. She felt as if she was spinning in circles, wandering aimlessly through a fierce storm of confusion with no clue where she was going or where she had come from.

But she refused to live like this any longer. She was getting her husband and her daughters back, taking her life back from the sorceress who had come to destroy her.

Struggling to her feet, Kahlan made her way to the window, wondering just how long she had been asleep. After Richard had left her alone again, she had cried herself to sleep, exhausted and spent with no will to go on. That had been who knows how long ago.

She ached to hold her daughters, to see their beautiful little faces, looking up at her in wonder. Spirits, she'd hardly had any time with them since giving birth. She longed for her husband to love her again, to comfort her and tell her that he believed in her.

She wanted Richard to heal the gaping hole where her heart used to beat. It was devastating enough to feel as though she had lost his love, but for him to lose his faith in her, his respect for her, only intensified her grief to unimaginable heights.

To have the man that she had given her everything to suddenly lose his belief in her was unbearable. If it weren't for her daughters, she would have lost the will to live.

Peering out of the window, it seemed to be drawing close to evening now. That meant that Sasha should be arriving with the evening meal shortly. Of course, not that Kahlan had eaten anything. She'd refused to eat all day even with Richard's "peace offering" that was supposedly her favorite food. He didn't even know her at all anymore, bringing oatmeal with dates.

Just the thought of it made her shudder with nausea. How many times had her father given her and Dennee nothing but dates to eat, knowing full well that they both hated them? Richard knew that, knew how much she hated them, how much they reminded her of her father and the things that he had done to them.

Besides, she couldn't eat even if she had wanted to. She was too upset right now, her stomach twisted into knots with everything that was happening. Spirits, she didn't even know where her own daughters were, who was holding them, feeding them and rocking them to sleep. She needed them and they needed their mother.

But what if Richard was right. What if she had truly lost her mind? He already felt that she was unfit as his wife and a mother to their daughters. If that was the case, she would also be unfit to be the Mother Confessor, co-ruler of D'Hara and the Midlands. She would lose everything that she held precious to her.

Maybe she did deserve to be locked up, kept away from all contact with people. She began to tremble uncontrollably at the thought. She would never be allowed to see her daughters then. Richard would not want to be associated with her let alone married to her any longer. It would be unacceptable for the Lord Rahl to be married to a woman who had gone mad.

Bringing her bound wrists up, Kahlan pressed her hands against her forehead, begging the spirits to make it stop, make the whirlwind of conflicting thoughts just go away and let her be. Peace was a distant memory now, her soul knowing nothing but agonizing pain and chaos as desperate tears slid down her cheeks again.

There was a sudden knock at the door, the lock clicking before opening. Sasha stood in the doorway, a concerned look on her face as she held a tray of food in her hands.

"Lady Kahlan, I brought you something to eat before the healer arrives," she said as she made her way to a table on the other side of the room. "I do hope that you'll be feeling better soon."

Ignoring Sasha, Kahlan's eyes became fixed on the open door before her, her only way out of this torment she found herself in. She knew that she had to take the chance or submit to the twisted way her life had become.

Without answering, she immediately bolted for the door, shoving aside all thoughts about the soldiers who would no doubt be standing guard in the corridor or the consequences of her actions. Richard would definitely lock her away for good, but he might anyway at this point. Did she really have a choice?

With her hands bound and no Confessor's magic, she would be defenseless against them. But she still had her skill as a fighter and was quick on her feet. It was a very slim chance, but it was the only hope that she had left now.

Racing through the open door, Kahlan found two Palace guards completely taken by surprise by the fugitive that was now fleeing down the hall. Quickly recovering, they took off after the Mother Confessor, determined to catch her before Lord Rahl found out that they had allowed her to escape.

Breathlessly turning a corner, Kahlan came to an abrupt stop. Staring ahead of her, she saw Richard and Commander Holland talking in the hall. Casting a quick glance over her shoulder, she discovered the two guards growing ever closer to her. They would be upon her in minutes.

Turning her attention back to Richard, Kahlan felt as if all the air had just vanished from her lungs. Richard was no longer talking to Commander Holland, but Sister Nicci. Before she could catch her breath, Richard suddenly pulled Nicci into a heated kiss.

Kahlan began shaking her head back and forth, tears immediately filling her eyes. "No…no…you promised to love me," she murmured as she watched Richard kissing the woman she knew was behind all of this.

They stood in the hall outside of Nicci's suite, the dark sorceress in Richard's embrace. His one hand was in her hair, holding her close, his mouth kissing her with the passion that he had always showed only her. His other hand was stroking down her back before coming to rest on her backside, pulling her flush against his body.

Her hand was on his face, tenderly caressing him as she responded to his passionate kiss. She pressed herself further into him, her chest beginning to heave with desire for him, a moan slipping past her lips as he began to trail kisses down her neck.

This was it. She was finally watching her worst fear being played out right before her eyes. Nicci had seduced her husband while she had been trapped in the past. Richard was willingly accepting Nicci's invitation, giving up the life that he had made with his wife as he gave himself to the dark sorceress.

"NO!" Kahlan screamed, trembling all over, her legs barely holding her up.

At the sound of her scream, Richard immediately released Nicci, turning to find his wife standing at the end of the corridor. Her face was pale, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her hands were still bound before her, her eyes wide with horror as she stared in shock at them.

"Kahlan," Richard breathlessly said as he began to rush towards her. "Kahlan, listen to me. It's not what you think."

"How could you? You promised to love only me," she sobbed, unable to stop shaking as she stumbled backwards to get away from him. "You promised…"

Richard racing down the hall, reaching for her and grapping hold of her was the last thing that Kahlan saw before she collapsed into a welcoming dark oblivion.

XXX

Entering their bedchambers with Zedd and Cara, Richard found Katrina leaning over Kahlan, her hands grasping his wife's shoulders. Kahlan was sobbing hysterically, Katrina trying to calm her as best she could.

"Katrina, what's wrong?" Richard anxiously asked as he raced towards Kahlan's side.

"I don't know Lord Rahl," she began, fear filling her face. "She was resting quietly and then she suddenly became distraught. I can't calm her down."

"Kahlan!" he sternly yelled, leaning over her and cupping her face in his hands. "Kahlan, listen to me…It's Richard. I'm right here, my love."

Stroking her cheeks with his thumbs, Richard grew frantic, desperate for her to know that he was there with her, that he loved her more than anything in the world. Without her, he was hopelessly lost and no one or nothing could ever replace her.

Her heart was beating wildly in her chest, her breathing labored as she continued to sob, weakly fighting against his hold on her. Panic-stricken, Richard began stroking her hair in an attempt to calm her.

"No…you promised to love me…" she cried, shaking her head back and forth. "Why don't you love me? You promised…"

Her heartrending words were a blow to his heart, anguish welling up from within his core. How could Kahlan ever doubt his love for her when she was his whole world?

"I do you love," he murmured against her face, his lips tenderly whispering kisses over her face. "You're all that I am. The best part of me is you, Kahlan."

She suddenly grew quiet, seemingly soothed by Richard's touch, his presence providing the sense of security that she desperately needed to survive the tempest gripping her.

Pressing his lips to her forehead, he whispered, "I'm coming for you, Kahlan. Please hold on…be strong for me."

Releasing his hold on her, he turned to face his grandfather, his brown eyes dark with determination, his jaw clenched tight with anger. He was almost trembling with the ferocity of his grief.

"Let's do this now," he angrily said. "I cannot sit by and watch her suffer any longer. She's responding more and more to the life that she thinks is real in her mind. I'm going after her."

Staring at his grandson, Zedd could only nod his head in acknowledgement, rendered speechless by the raw pain and emotion reflecting in Richard's face. He was heartbroken as well to lose Kahlan like this, but to lose both of them was inconceivable.

"Richard, I don't…"

"I can do this, Zedd. I can make her listen to me," he adamantly exclaimed in protest. "I have never in my life felt a connection to another human being like I feel with Kahlan. Without her, I'm only half a person."

"I'll do it. Let me bring her back," Cara determinedly announced as she watched her friend murmuring incoherently in her sleep, her face still wet with tears.

"No, Cara," Richard heatedly replied, not at all surprised by Cara's fierce protection of them. In fact, he was wondering how much longer she was going to let him go before finally sounding her protests.

"Your daughters need you; D'Hara needs you, Lord Rahl," Cara said, finally tearing her eyes off of Kahlan to look at her Lord Rahl.

"And we don't need you? Garren and my daughters don't need you?" Richard questioned her, shaking his head in disbelief. She had no idea just how much she meant to them. "I'm the only one who can bring her back, Cara, and I have to try. We both know that. There is no Richard Rahl if there is no Kahlan."

"I know," she softly answered with a sigh. "As much as I don't like this plan, I believe you are the only one that she truly trusts to lead to her home."

"Cara, if something does go wrong, if for some reason I'm not able to…" he stopped suddenly, drawing a deep breath, grief washing through him with the thought he could not finish. "I want you and Garren to take care of our daughters for us. They already love you and the two of you love them as if they were your own."

"We…we would honored, Lord Rahl," she choked out, unwanted tears stinging her eyes. She quickly reined in her emotions, swallowing hard and setting her jaw before continuing. "Just don't make me come after the both of you or I'll haunt you into the Underworld. And you know I will."

Richard couldn't help but smile at his friend's words. Who would have thought that one of his closest friends would have ever been a Mord'Sith, especially one as fiercely obstinate and brazen as Cara or that she would be the perfect godmother to his daughters?

Without a second thought, Richard immediately reached for her, pulling her into a fierce hold. Cara slowly responded to him, taken aback by his affectionate manner as she returned his embrace.

"Now, go after Kahlan before you start sobbing and get tears all over my leather," she scolded, releasing her hold on him.

A mischievous glint shone in her green eyes, warming Richard's heart and letting him know that she felt the same affection for him that he had for her. Turning his attention back to Zedd, Richard felt determination and hope seize hold of him. He was going to get his Kahlan back.

The thought caused inexplicable joy to suddenly surge through him. He was going to have his wife in his arms again. They would be able to raise their little girls together, have so many more sweet occasions to create more sisters for them. He could hardly wait till Kahlan was carrying their child again.

"What do I need to do, Zedd?" Richard asked, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, excitement rising in his heart.

XXX

Standing in the central courtyard, Commander Fellows wearily rubbed his face with his hands. The stream of wounded coming in seemed to finally be diminishing. Several scouting parties had been sent out to bring back the wounded as well as taking care of the dead. It would take weeks to clean up after the bloody battle that had taken place last night.

Looking up, Fellows saw more soldiers bringing in some fallen men on makeshift stretchers. It was more of their men as well as a couple of Altaeans. They had been able to capture some of the enemy soldiers, tending to their injuries before locking them up in the prisons.

Fellows was hopeful that the Mord'Sith would be able to get some much needed information out of them that would help them in this war with Darken Rahl. Despite finding Rahl's body, he had a feeling this was far from over. So far, his men weren't talking, but they had yet to see the inside of a Mord'Sith's chamber.

Making his way over to the new arrivals, Fellows bent down to inspect the two Altaean soldiers that had been brought in. They were both the well-known blond hair, blue eyed pure D'Harans that lived in the southern region of Altaea. The man lying before him was tall and thin, his wounds extensive. He would be fortunate to live through the night, but then again, knowing what would happen if he did live, death might be preferable.

Fellows checked himself, remembering that it was not Darken Rahl who was leading them now, but Richard Rahl, a man with a pure heart that tempered the bloodline of Rahl. He had the fortitude of a leader, the heart of a warrior that was only matched by his compassion and sense of what was right.

Richard Rahl was the perfect balance of courage and power, humanity and justice. He had never before seen a man like this Lord Rahl and he found it a deep honor to be associated with him, to serve him.

Fellows suddenly stood to his feet before giving orders to the men who had brought in the wounded. "Take this one over there where the seriously injured are being treated. Take the other one to the prison to be treated. His injuries don't appear to be life-threatening."

"Aye, Commander," they replied in unison, their eyes peering darkly through the helmets that covered their heads and part of their faces.

They immediately obeyed, leaning down and picking up the stretcher to follow their given orders. The severely wounded Altaean soldier groaned with the sudden jostling, his face ashen as he winced in pain.

"Please…sir…help me…" he rasped, choking on his words as he gasped for air.

His brow furrowed, Fellows held up a hand to stop them. Leaning over the man, he kindly said, "It's alright, son. We're going to get you help."

"No…you don't…understand…" the young man moaned, growing frantic.

"What don't I understand?" Fellows asked in confusion.

"I'm dying…"

"I know, but I promise we're going to do everything we can to save you."

The soldier at the head of the stretcher looked down at the dying man with worry. "He's delirious, Commander. We should get him to the healer right away."

"Yes, proceed," Fellows agreed as he stared deep in thought at the face of the dying solider. Something inside told him that there was something more.

The soldier suddenly reached up and grabbed hold of Commander Fellow's jacket, yanking him down close to him. "…teutorigos…" he wheezed in between gasps for air before releasing his hold on him, his eyes wide with horror.

Fellows could feel the soldier's breath hot against his face, could feel the sheer terror that had seized the young man.

Straightening up, Fellows frowned with the word the man had spoken, having never heard of it before. Before he could ask him what the word meant, the soldier's eyes grew wide with horror, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. Drawing a final shuddering breath, he was finally in the presence of the Keeper…


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

Lying on his back close by Kahlan's side, Richard took several deep, slow breaths in an attempt to clear his mind of all outside distractions and thoughts. He tried to quiet his heart, shoving aside all of his worries about Darken Rahl and the future of D'Hara, his sorrow over all the lives lost in battle, his fears involving Kahlan.

He had to be fully focused if he was ever going to get Kahlan back, in complete control of his mind as he concentrated his magic in order to navigate the deepest recesses of her subconscious.

"Are you ready, Richard?" Zedd asked, his voice strained with worry for what was about to take place.

If this didn't go well, if Richard was not able to get to Kahlan, then he would be lost to them as well. The price was high, but he knew that it was never too high for Richard to pay when it came to Kahlan. Nothing would ever keep him from getting to her.

"Yes," Richard calmly replied, quieting the excitement that hummed inside of him, knowing that he was going to finally be reunited with his wife.

"Close your eyes. I'm going to say a few words that will help guide your Han to connect your mind with Kahlan's. Follow that link," Zedd carefully instructed. "Just remember, though, that things that you find inside of her mind may or may not be real, but they are to Kahlan. She truly believes that she is living her life, but she's actually trapped in a war between the imaginary life her mind has created and her subconscious which is trying to tell her the truth.

"Things that you know, people that you trust now may no longer be trustworthy in her world and could turn on you, attempting to stop you from getting to her. Even though the spell has been removed, it's already taken on a life of its own. You're going to have to trust your instincts and your Han to guide you, not necessarily the things that you see or hear."

"I understand," he softly replied, drawing another deep cleansing breath.

While the things that Zedd was telling him were going to be helpful, it hurt him deeply to know the anguish that Kahlan was being put through. This was all so senseless. How could Nicci have ever begun to think that he could possibly love someone other than Kahlan?

Since the day Richard had met Kahlan, it had always been her…always would be her. She completed him, made him whole and created feelings inside of him that he had never experienced before. She was an intoxicating woman who satiated him beyond his wildest dreams and yet always left him wanting so much more.

"Now, once you find Kahlan, you will need to convince her that what she is seeing, what she is hearing and feeling is not real. You must earn her trust again. Until then, you both will stay in this state.

"The longer you stay in Kahlan's mind with her, the more you will be dragged into it until you're trapped there as well. You will become just a part of her distorted sense of reality so time is of the essence."

"I will bring her back, Zedd," he confidently said, his eyes still closed as he worked through the exercises Zedd had taught him long ago to reach out to his Han.

A serene look filled his face as he waited for Zedd to begin the spell that would help him save his wife. Cara stood on the other side of the bed, fiddling with the thin chain of her agiel that hung at her waist, not really knowing what to do, but not wanting to be any other place but here.

"Richard, I…"

"I love you too, Zedd," Richard interrupted, knowing what his grandfather was about to say. "Don't worry; it will be alright. Kahlan and I will see the both of you soon."

Zedd smiled sadly at his grandson, hoping that he was right. He couldn't bear the thought of losing them. Drawing a deep breath, he raised his arms, his hands coming to rest above Richard's head. Closing his eyes, he began mumbling incoherent words, his fingers beginning to glow with magic.

Richard could feel the faint thrum of magic begin to build in his mind, dancing over his subconscious then sluicing down through his body before settling and coalescing with his Han. A feeling of warmth began to swim in his core, growing and intensifying as a sense of peaceful awareness blanketed his mind.

He felt himself begin to drift into sleep, his mind becoming acutely aware of another as he reached out towards his wife. He felt as if he was at the bottom of a muddy lake, fighting his way to the top. He pushed further, fought harder, swimming past the murkiness as he followed a thin string of light that was guiding him towards the surface.

Richard hoped that Kahlan was at the end of that light that he was swimming towards, but he knew that this was not going to be that easy. Nothing for them ever was. Even though Zedd had warned him, he still had no idea what he was going to find once he awakened inside of his lover's mind.

Would she accept him, allow his intrusion into her subconscious? Would she allow him to help her or would she be so frightened of him that she would fight him with everything that she had?

Whatever Kahlan had created in her mind, it had involved Richard hurting her in some form or another and it crushed his soul. He couldn't begin to imagine the surreal turmoil she'd been suffering or that he was somehow the cause of it.

He had a feeling he was going to have to fight with all he had against the turmoil storming through her mind. And he would fight for her. He would never give up on her.

Their love was so powerful, stronger than any magic. It had proven stronger than the most formidable form of Confessor's magic. It had brought two hearts together as one and it would protect them now.

Finally breaking through to the surface, Richard opened his eyes to find himself standing in a wash of bright light. It surrounded him, bathing and blinding him and yet there was no warmth in it. In fact, it felt cold, sending a shiver through him.

His vision gradually began to adjust to his new surroundings, revealing the People's Palace. Standing in the central courtyard, it looked just like it did in real life except that the battle with Darken Rahl had not taken place yet.

There were no soldiers littering the snow-covered ground, no tents or fires burning, no healers roaming about taking care of the injured and dying.

But Zedd had told him that things might not be as they seem. It could be a completely different set of circumstances, a different time all together for all he knew.

Cautiously making his way through the entrance of the Palace itself, Richard found soldiers standing guard in the central entryway. He furrowed his brow as he studied the men, uncertain of what to make of them. They acted as if they could see him and yet they did not seem to notice him.

Walking past them, Richard's hand automatically went for his sword, needing to know that it was close just in case, but was startled to find it was not there. Despite how real it all appeared, he had to remind himself that this was far from reality. This was all an illusion in Kahlan's mind, created from memories and past experiences, her happiness as well as her fears.

He was at her mercy.

While horrifying to know that she was suffering, it was also intriguing to actually see inside of her mind, to witness what Kahlan held close to her heart. He knew her better than he had ever known anyone in his life, never keeping any secrets from each other.

Richard also knew that they each had thoughts, though, that weren't always known, private worries and desires yet to be shared. That was what made their life together so exciting, such an incredible journey. Their love was continually growing and deepening, intensifying and bonding them ever closer to one another beyond anything that Richard had ever imagined possible.

Turning down a corridor, Richard cast a glance over his shoulder, suddenly feeling confused. He had turned down the hall that would lead him in the direction to their suite, hoping that was where Kahlan was, but the corridor unexpectedly changed. He was now heading down the passage that led to the Council Chambers.

Looking about him, he found it unnerving to have his surroundings suddenly shift before his very eyes. He felt his pulse quicken now that he was on the opposite side of the Palace from where he needed to be.

The halls were eerily quiet and abandoned, the sound of his boots striking the marble floor not even creating a sound. He could hear the pounding of his heart in his ears, his eyes quickly darting about in anticipation of the unknown, the unseen.

Gone was the happiness and love for life that he knew lived in his wife's heart. Now there was nothing but heartache and hopeless despair that filled the air, threatening to smother him. The atmosphere was full of such pain and despair that it made his knees grow weak with its intensity.

The halls were dark and foreboding, a dull gray dreariness coating everything. Passing by a window, he paused to see snow mingled with rain falling from a dark gray sky. There was no sun, no moon. Lightning flashed and cracked, thunder rumbled, the wind so powerful it uprooting trees right before his eyes. It was surreal as well as unsettling to see such an incongruent tempest swarming outside.

Despite how unbearable it was, Richard swallowed hard past the sudden lump that constricted his throat, pushing on with determination to save his Kahlan from the turmoil that was sapping the life out of her, taking her further and further away from him.

He knew that he needed to be on guard if he was going to rescue her, but on guard against what he wasn't certain. Things that he used to be able to trust in, things that he knew had likely been turned upside down inside Kahlan's imaginary world.

Richard couldn't shake the uneasiness that clung to him like a heavy cloak, feeling like he was being watched and yet seeing nothing.

He suddenly felt lost and alone and he'd only been here for a very short period of time, not encountering anything significant yet. It was horrifying to think that Kahlan was living this hell inside of her mind for well over a week, but more upsetting to think of what had actually triggered its creation.

What fears and worries had she buried deep inside of her heart that the spell had snatched hold of, bringing it to the surface of her mind? While it alarmed him, Richard knew that he would soon find out exactly what that fear was.

Making his way down several more corridors, he found his vision blurring around the edges sometimes only to suddenly clear. Colors became distorted from time to time, but abruptly became distinct the further he went.

He silently passed through halls, trying to avoid being seen by any more people. He hoped to remain as inconspicuous as possible. He had a nagging feeling that things could get very complicated very quickly.

He quickly ascended the central staircase, stopping momentarily as he reached the second floor. His heart was beginning to race in excited anticipation knowing that he was growing closer to his wife. He almost sensed as if Kahlan knew that he was here and yet she had made no effort yet to reach out to him, to let him know where she was.

Soon, he would find her; make her trust him all over again. She had to believe that he would never hurt her, never wanted to be the source of her pain. It killed him to think that her greatest fear was that he would hurt her.

Recognizing paintings and statues that Kahlan had placed in the hall in an attempt to make the People's Palace more of a home, he felt a sense of relief to see familiar things that reminded him of her even if it was just inside of her mind.

Looking at a particular painting, it suddenly changed, morphing into the hideous tribal masks that had adorned the wall before Kahlan had removed them from the Palace. He had remembered it like it was yesterday.

Kahlan had announced one morning that things were going to change. She was determined to erase any trace of Darken Rahl's presence, removing all of the dark hideous things that he had surrounded himself with, adamantly telling him that it was no environment to raise their girls.

Now, though, everything was changing, shifting back and forth between what was and what is. Kahlan's mind was in a constant state of flux and it terrified him.

He had to find her before it was too late, before he lost her forever.

XXX

Lying on her side, Kahlan stared blankly ahead of her at the wall, her hands still bound by the rope that caused fear to course through her veins. But that did not seem to matter now. Nothing mattered anymore to her.

She had no more tears to shed, no hope left inside of her. She had lost it all – her friends, her grandfather, her daughters, and her husband.

And if that wasn't enough, she had lost herself, her confidence and faith in what she thought she knew about herself, in what she knew to be true.

Gone. It was all gone.

She was no longer the Mother Confessor and soon she'd no longer be Richard's wife. Nicci would see to it that she was put away. Of that, Kahlan was certain. It was the only thing that she knew to be true anymore.

After seeing Richard and Nicci kissing passionately in the corridor, everything had gone black. Kahlan had woken up back in the room that had become her prison. She assumed that Richard had carried her back here, but she wasn't sure. As far as she knew, he no longer wanted anything to do with her.

The bottomless pit of pain that filled the place where her heart used to beat was all that she felt and still no more tears would come. Staring ahead of her, she could think of nothing but the anguish that besieged her every waking moment. She was adrift at sea with no end in sight.

She felt tired, so very tired. She just wanted to sleep…sleep and never wake up again. The thought brought a small flicker of relief. It would mean an end to this agony, the tormenting thoughts of Nicci in Richard's bed, of her husband making love to another woman, of Nicci holding and caring for her daughters.

There was a deep piercing pain like a dark hideous void had suddenly erupted inside, sucking all of the life out of her. It was a strange feeling really, feeling numb all over and yet being filled with so much pain she could barely draw air.

There was no one to save her. And, if truth be told, Kahlan didn't know if she wanted to be saved if it meant going on with her life without Richard or her girls.

Spirits, she couldn't even save herself. The powerful Confessor of the Midlands who had risked everything to find her Seeker, who had fought fearlessly against countless D'Haran soldiers had been reduced to this.

They had broken her spirit and she had no idea how to get it back. She had no more fight left in her.

She had failed everyone around her. She had let Richard down as his best friend and wife, failed her own daughters as their mother, and was a disappointment to her beloved Midlands as their Mother Confessor.

There was no greater pain than to lose the ones that she loved, but to feel like she failed everyone around her only intensified her sorrow to unbearable heights.

The door softly opened, but Kahlan ignored it. She didn't care who it was or what they wanted. All she wanted was to sleep forever, to drift off into the welcoming arms of blissful death where thoughts would never haunt her again, the pain in her chest could not follow her.

She could tell that someone had entered the room, the sound of cautious footsteps against the stone floor making their way around the bed. She didn't bother to turn to see who it was. She had lost the capacity to care about anything.

Nothing mattered any more. Life had lost all meaning when Richard betrayed her, taking her babies along with him, giving himself to another.

He suddenly appeared, blocking her view of the wall as he crouched down before her. A look of grief masked his face, but she no longer cared. She didn't flinch, didn't try to move away when he reached out a hand to brush her hair away from her face or to caress her cheek.

Richard stared at her for several moments, sorrow filling his brown eyes. The eyes that made her heart skip a beat suddenly had no affect on her at that moment.

"Oh my precious Kahlan," he sadly said. "I'm so sorry."

Kahlan continued to stare straight ahead of her, unable to respond to his touch or his words. He continued to caress her face before leaning in and pressing his lips to her forehead. He gazed at her, waiting for some sort of response but received none.

"You have suffered so much, my love."

Her body felt numb, her soul dead as she stared lifelessly at him. Nothing he could say or do at that point would change anything, make things any better. He had given himself to another and that was something Kahlan didn't think that she could survive.

She closed her eyes momentarily, opening them to find Sister Nicci suddenly crouching at her bedside instead of Richard. She was staring at her, a haughty gleam in her eye, a smirk on her lips.

"Poor, poor Kahlan," she condescendingly said, tilting her head slightly as she smiled softly at the Mother Confessor. "You've been through so much, haven't you?"

Kahlan could only stare at the Sister of the Dark who was taunting her. In the past, Kahlan would have fought her with every ounce of strength she possessed, not allowing her the victory that she seems to have gained. But now, she had nothing else left to fight with, nothing to fight for. What was the purpose?

"You've lost everything, you know," Nicci reminded her, reveling in her victory over the Confessor. "You've lost your mind, your title as Mother Confessor, your daughters, and now Richard. He's all mine now and there is nothing you can possibly do to win him back."

Nicci paused long enough to see if her words were sinking into Kahlan's mind, if she understood what she was telling her. She had finally won what she had wanted all along – Richard Rahl and she wanted to make sure that Kahlan knew that she had lost.

Leaning in closer, Nicci smiled wickedly before continuing. "Richard made love to me in your bed. He is a very passionate lover. Spirits, the things he can do, the intensity of his passion, his strength and endurance, the taste of his skin, the feel of his muscular body moving against mine…should I go on?"

Nicci watched as a single tear escaped from Kahlan's eye, sliding over the bridge of her nose before disappearing into the pillow.

"I told you that I would win…" Nicci gloated with a sneer.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

"What is it, Zedd?"

Cara could tell by the sudden look of distress on the Wizard's face that something was very wrong. It caused her own sense of alarm to ignite within her, feeling so helpless as she stood by the bed. This was one fight that she could not participate in, one battle that her skills and her agiels were useless to her friends.

"Bags!"

The frown on his wrinkled face deepened further, his thick white eyebrows knitted together. His panicked-filled eyes suddenly left Richard and Kahlan to stare at the Mord'Sith on the other side of the bed.

"Something has gone wrong," he slowly shook his head in stunned disbelief, trying to fathom what was occurring.

"Like what?"

"It's Kahlan," he tried to explain, but not knowing exactly how. "Something has caused her to begin to shut down."

"How? Richard's only been inside of her mind for an hour. He's barely had a chance to reach her."

"I don't know what's causing it, but Kahlan's mind is collapsing in on itself."

"How do we stop it?"

Cara could feel her chest tightening with Zedd's words. There had to be something they could do to help them, something that would give Richard more time to get to Kahlan and bring her back.

"We can't…not from here. I'm afraid it's completely up to Richard to stop it. If her mind collapses in on them before he can convince her to trust him, then they're just as trapped as if he never found her."

XXX

Hearing a loud rumble behind him, Richard stopped suddenly, turning to find that the stairs that he had ascended a few moments ago were abruptly beginning to crumble. One by one each step disintegrated, taking the one after it until they all disappeared into a heap of debris.

Running to the railing, he looked over the edge to the pile of stones below, stunned by its sudden destruction. White clouds of dust and stone billowed up from the floor below before beginning to dissipate. He quickly scanned the area, trying to figure out what could have caused it, but found nothing.

Something told him that it was Kahlan who had caused it, fighting to keep him out of her mind, but he was not about to allow that to happen. He would fight her with everything he had. There was nothing she could possibly do that would keep him from getting to her.

Racing down the corridor, he was suddenly met by two D'Haran soldiers coming around the corner, their weapons drawn. They seemed to have taken notice of him this time. Without a weapon of his own, though, he would have to rely on his other skills to help him now.

"I'm your Lord Rahl!" Richard said with great authority, hoping that it would cause them to obey him.

It was as if the soldiers didn't hear a single word he said, didn't recognize him as their master, the ruler of D'Hara. He was seen as a danger, an intruder in his home, in his own wife's mind. Why did she consider him a threat to her?

Looking around him, Richard searched for something that he could use as a weapon to defend himself. Even though in an imaginary world, he didn't want to take the chance that an injury could cause real damage. He couldn't afford to waste any more precious time.

Finding a spear hanging on the hall, he immediately grabbed it, clutching it tightly in his hands as he turned to face his attackers. To his dismay, he suddenly found two Mord'Sith joining in the fight as well.

Growling under his breath, Richard lunged towards the first soldier he met, blocking the swing of his sword before suddenly thrusting his spear through the man's chest. Quickly shoving him aside, he swiftly scooped by the fallen man's sword, relieved to have a weapon he was more accustomed to using.

Swinging around, his new weapon instantly clashed with the other soldier's blade. Richard shoved him back before he spun and turned, thrusting and blocking before quickly finishing off the second soldier with a slice of his blade through the man's throat.

Although in a dream world, the fight and the blood felt all too genuine, the actual sound of the sword as it sliced through the soldier's bodies all too accurate. The cool feel of the steel in his hand, the exertion of the fight, every hammering beat of his heart, it was all so very real.

Facing the two Mord'Sith, he felt his anger rising. They were keeping him from getting to Kahlan…she was keeping him from getting to her. He would not allow it. She was sick, didn't know what she was doing, but he was determined to make her believe in him no matter what it took.

With their agiels in hand, the Sisters came for him, thrusting their magical weapons at him, one hitting its mark in his arm. He cried out in excruciating pain. Although imaginary, the pain felt all too real.

Retracting his arm, he quickly spun, hitting one Mord'Sith in the head with the hilt of his sword sending her spiraling to the ground, blood oozing from the large gash in her head. The sudden feel of an agiel to his back caused him to cry out with the pain that swiftly bolted like lightning through his body. The more he attempted to get away, the harder she pressed it into him, taking him to his knees and driving the air from his lungs.

Richard knew that he had to end this now before they captured him. Gathering his senses, he shoved aside the pain that surged through him, tightening his grip on his sword. He quickly swung his leg out behind him, causing the Mord'Sith to lose her balance.

He quickly leapt up onto his feet. Panting hard in an attempt to regain his breath, Richard felt the floor beneath his boots begin to quake, causing him to almost lose his balance. Loud cracking noises could be heard echoing through the corridor, splitting through the thick stone walls.

Pieces of stone both large and small unexpectedly began to break free from the walls and ceiling, raining bits of stone and debris down upon them. The marble floor began to crack and split, creating large gaps that threatened to pull them down.

Drawing his attention back to the fight before him, he found the Mord'Sith taken off guard by the sudden interruption. Rushing towards her, Richard swiftly ran her through with his sword, driving the blade in to the hilt. Shoving her body off of his weapon, he immediately took off down the hall, desperate to find his wife and put an end to all of this madness.

Kahlan was determined to stop him, but he was determined to find her. Why didn't she want him to save her, to rescue her from the chaotic storm that gripped her mind? He felt his heart crumbling like the walls around him from the intensity of his sorrow.

Had she given up? Given up on him and their love?

Gritting his teeth in anger, he vowed he would not allow it. They had fought for too long for this life that they had just begun to build together. If she wasn't going to fight for it, then he would fight for the both of them.

Frustrated anger began to bubble up inside of him, his infinite love for his wife pushing him through the bits of rubble raining down upon him. He would forever be her strength when she was weak, her confidence when she had none, her all when she had nothing.

And he knew that she would do the same for him because she already had just when he needed her most. She had always been there for him just like he had always been there for her.

They were one heart - inseparable, indestructible, invincible. And he would not allow her to give up on them…ever.

Richard quickened his pace, dodging falling rocks, leaping over gaping cracks in the stone floor that seemed to have literally opened up from the depths of the Underworld. Turning down another corridor, he was met by more D'Haran soldiers, but he refused to allow them to slow him down.

Charging towards them, he growled with a sneer on his lips, his sword clenched tightly in his hand, his raptor gaze leveled on the obstacles that stood in his way. They would not keep him from getting his wife back. Nothing could, nothing would.

With a yell of rage that was infused by his anguish over what had happened to his wife instead of coming from the magic of his sword, Richard sliced through one soldier, spinning and swinging through another. The cries of agonizing death that filled his ears only pushed him on, driving him closer and closer to her.

His anger over his brother's vile threats against his wife.

_Slice._

His anguish over coming so close to losing her.

_Thrust._

His deep heartache that Kahlan could believe that he would ever hurt her.

_Swing._

The pain of watching her suffer.

_Another scream of rage._

Falling debris continued to shower down around him, one soldier after another standing in his way of getting what he wanted most in his life. He poured his heart, his emotions into every movement of his sword.

Finishing off the last soldier, the Seeker's chest was heaving, his eyes dancing with rage as he stood over the bodies that littered the floor. He had never felt such intense fury without having the Sword of Truth in his hand feeding it.

His Han. The magic that pounded through his veins had become so alive within his core, providing him what he needed. He found he had full control of his Han...or it had full control of him.

Rushing down the hall, Richard found more guards standing outside of their suite, but these men only looked straight ahead, completely oblivious to the Lord Rahl standing before them, sword in hand, his breathing ragged.

Richard stood there for a moment, startled by their lack of reaction to him. He had just disposed of a dozen soldiers and two Mord'Sith and now these men were allowing him entrance without so much as a word or a glance. He had been prepared for a fight, not this.

With a trembling hand, he reached for the door. Turning the handle, he warily entered their greeting room, his heart hammering wildly in his chest, fear about what he would find seizing hold of him.

He began to hear sounds coming from their bedchambers the closer he got. Opening the door, he stood in shock as he watched a man making love with someone in their bed.

It was him…making love to his Kahlan.

Richard felt his heart soar at see himself making love with the woman who owned him heart and soul. The sounds of their passion filled the room, their gasps and moans, their cries of pleasure igniting his own ever-simmering need for his Kahlan.

He suddenly felt uncomfortable watching something so intimate, so private in their expression of love for one another even though it was something created in Kahlan's mind. At the same time, he was in complete awe of the sheer beauty of the act, the hunger in their touch, the heated passion of their rhythmic movements. It was mesmerizing to behold.

And then his blood which was pounding with need suddenly turned stone cold as the woman lying under him, the woman he had been giving himself so willingly to abruptly rolled them over to move over him.

Her long blond hair cascaded down her back as her head fell back, a cry of rapture escaping her lips as she rode him, his hands roaming greedily over her body.

It was not Kahlan. It was Nicci.

Richard began to shake with horror at what was playing out before his very eyes, feeling the sword in his hand suddenly slip from his fingers. The site of himself making love with another woman…with Nicci, almost dropped him to his knees with the extent of his revulsion.

A sickening wave of nausea suddenly permeated every fiber of his being, causing bile to rise in the back of his throat. His knees threatened to give out on him, causing him to suddenly sag against the doorframe to keep from collapsing.

The lovers didn't even seem to notice that he was there or they didn't care as they continued to climb the heights of rapture.

Unable to bear it any longer, Richard turned, leaving them alone. Sinking into a nearby chair, he leaned forward, holding his head in his trembling hands, trying desperately to erase the images of that scene that filled his mind.

No wonder Kahlan was in the throes of such disturbing pain. She believed that he had betrayed her when Nicci had sent her to the past, taking him for herself. The spell Nicci had embedded in her mind had preyed on those fears, creating this bleak illusion of life.

Tears burned in his throat as the mounting sounds of rapture spilled from the adjoining room. He felt loathing and guilt wash through him as he heard himself cry Nicci's name. Another woman's name on his lips when he released…released inside of a woman other than his Kahlan; his name being screamed in rapture by a woman who was not his wife.

The sheer pain that pierced his heart nearly took his breath away as he attempted to pull himself back together. He had to find Kahlan, had to convince her that this was not real.

How could Kahlan ever believe that he would betray her like this?

Finally finding his way to his feet, Richard went back to retrieve his sword, closing the door behind him, fighting against the overwhelming need to run both of the lovers in that bed through with his blade. He had to end this hell once and for all…for both of them.

Running out of the suite, he stood in the corridor, desperation rising as he attempted to discover where Kahlan was. Looking down both ways, he noticed a large group of soldiers stationed outside of a set of doors at the far end of the hallway.

Racing down the hall, Richard was quickly met by those soldiers standing guard, no doubt determined to keep him from getting to his wife. But this insanity had gone on for far too long. He was putting a stop to this now.

With heated fury, he poured his anguish and pain into each swinging arch of his sword, sending each man to his presumed death until there was no one standing in the hall to keep him from getting to her.

Staring down at the body of the last soldier that he had slain, Richard was startled when he looked up to find Cara sauntering towards him. Her jaw was set, her green eyes blazing as she held her agiels tightly in her fists.

"Cara, I don't want to fight you," Richard cautiously began, shaking his head back and forth, his shoulders slumping at the sight of his close friend.

"Why are you here?"

Her voice was icy, her glare withering. It was beyond believable that Cara would be fighting against him in Kahlan's mind. This was something that he had definitely not anticipated.

"I'm saving Kahlan from this madness that has been created inside of her mind. This is not real, Cara. Get out of my way and let me get to Kahlan."

"I don't think that's wise," she smirked, circling him, keeping her eyes locked on him like a hungry predator.

"Why not? Where is she?" he asked, trying to keep her in front of him.

"She's here, but she is not well. I don't think you'd want her anyway. There's not much left of her," Cara replied, her voice filled with contempt. "She's just an empty shell of the woman that she once was."

"What have you done to her?" he growled, trying desperately to keep from lunging at her as he reminded himself that this was all just an illusion. Why was he bothering trying to reason with her?

"It's not me," she innocently told him. "It was you…it was all your doing."

"What did I supposedly do?"

Cara chuckled softly at his question, rolling her eyes in that characteristic way of hers. It made the fine hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. This was so bizarre. It was all a dream and yet so realistic.

"She's completely lost her mind. You caused her to go mad. You took her daughters away from her, tied her up with rope, locked her in a room, and took Nicci as your mistress."

"No…" Richard sneered in panic at what he was hearing. "It's not me! I would never do such a thing to Kahlan! How could she ever believe that I would do something like that to her?"

"I don't know, but you're not going to be able to save her. She doesn't want to see you, doesn't want to live anymore."

"Why wouldn't Kahlan want to live?" he asked with barely controlled rage at the very though, his blood like an icy river with the thought of her dying, of not wanting to live.

"Because she lost you…lost her daughters," she simply said with a shrug of her shoulders, inching her way closer to him.

With that, Cara abruptly lunged at him, stabbing him with her agiels. Crying out, Richard arched his back with the intense pain suddenly surging through him. He clutched his sword tightly in his hand, determined to not lose his weapon despite the agonizing pain causing his mind to go numb.

Gritting his teeth, Richard lifted his leg, connecting with Cara's abdomen and sending her spiraling to the floor. Barely slowed down, she immediately leapt to her feet, charging towards him with a renewed effort.

"Cara, I don't want to fight you!" he angrily growled. "Don't make me do this!"

"You have no choice!" Cara sneered, swinging her agiels at him. "Kahlan doesn't want to see you, doesn't want you to save her!"

Dropping his sword, Richard immediately seized hold of her wrists, twisting and fighting to keep the magical weapons away from his body. She fought him even harder, struggling against his hold on her. It was quickly becoming a battle of wills.

Richard was surprised at the strength the Mord'Sith possessed as he shoved her back against a wall. Cara quickly twisted her wrist out of his hand, swinging her agiel around to connect with his neck. Richard growled angrily, grabbing hold of her wrist once more.

Just then, the walls began to crack and break even further, the floor splitting open creating cracks and crevices that spread like spider webs over the marble.

The floor began to quake, one of the cracks suddenly widening into a deep gaping abyss. Cara tried to push the Seeker towards the hole in the floor that had erupted behind him, but Richard was bigger and stronger and determined to find his wife.

As difficult as it was, Richard knew that it was either Cara or him. He would never be able to save Kahlan if he allowed Cara to win this battle. He had to end this now.

Reminding himself that this Cara was not real, Richard spun them around, causing her to lose her balance as he released his hold on her arms. He watched with grief as the Mord'Sith fell into the gaping hole in the floor.

Looking over the edge, he felt his heart constrict at the site of her broken body lying on the jagged rocks below, her dead lifeless eyes staring back up at him with blame for this ending. He knew it was what he had to do in order to save Kahlan.

And he knew he would do it all over again if he had to just to save his wife…


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

Reaching for the door, Richard cursed under his breath to find it locked. Loath to waste time trying to find a key, he immediately lifted his leg, kicking the door in with his boot, taking it off of its hinges with the force of the violent blow.

With a sudden caution that had been missing just moments ago, he entered the room, fearful of what he would find. Things had not been what they had seemed already and now that he was that much closer to Kahlan, he feared that it would become even worse.

The room was dark save for the lightning that continuously flashed in a window and a candle that burned on the table at the bedside. His eyes fell upon a woman lying on her side in the bed, her back to him. He would recognize her form anywhere.

It was his Kahlan.

The Seeker felt his chest constrict at the site of her, the fury rolling through his body suddenly quieted by the intensity of his love for her. The sword once more slipped from his hand as he cautiously made his way around the bed. His heart leapt into his throat, the joy of finally finding her sweeping through him, his stomach dropping at the site of her.

Kahlan was lying on her side, staring at the wall across the room from her. Her eyes were rimmed in red, a cold desolation permeating them, the candle creating a soft glow about her that only seemed to add the despondency that filled the room. Her beautiful face was pale and tear-stained; a Rada'Han adorned her neck.

Her hands were bound with rope before her, causing his anger to instantly flare again. Her wrists were raw and bruised from the rope rubbing against them. He had to force himself to remember that this was all just an illusion, but it did nothing to settle the firestorm of emotions erupting within him.

Although it was all in her mind, the utter pain and anguish of it all made him want to lie down beside her and die at the site of her like this, the weight of her grief overwhelming him as he stood there watching her. Tears instantly pooled in his eyes as he swallowed back a sob, falling to his knees before her.

The rumbling sounds that had followed him abruptly returned with a vengeance, causing the walls to begin to crumble, but he ignored it all. His sole purpose for living was lying in this bed and he knew that he was the only one who could save her. Nothing else mattered to him but her and their girls.

With trembling fingers, he carefully reached out to her, lightly stroking along her dark hair. She didn't respond like she even knew that he was there. She didn't move, didn't flinch…didn't react at all to his touch like she always used to.

He had always loved her reaction to his touch, how her eyes would sometimes fall closed, her lips curling into a soft smile, or the soft moan that occasionally escaped her throat. It brought him such pleasure to know that she felt that way about him, that he could bring out such a reaction of longing that was for him alone.

Now, her reaction was completely lifeless, emotionless. She had lost all hope, the will to go on. But he was determined to give it back to her.

"Kahlan…" he began so softly that he could barely hear his own voice. Clearing his throat of the tears that filled it, he tried again. "Kahlan, my love…"

"Don't call me your love."

Her words struck him hard like a slap across his face as tears escaped his eyes. Her voice sounded so dead that it sent a shiver down his spine, completely taking him by surprise.

He knew that she had been in danger, suffering in some dreadful dream world, but this…this was so much worse than he had ever imagined, reaching in and tearing his heart right out of his chest. There was no anger in his beloved, no joy, not even a hint of the smile that he adored. There was only complete emptiness.

Spirits, this couldn't be happening, not to his Kahlan. She was the strongest person he had ever known, so full of love and life, an infectious happiness that spread to everyone around her.

He should have fought harder, should have done something sooner. It was his fault that his wife had been enduring such anguish for so long.

Zedd had tried to warn him, tried to tell him that things were not going to be as he thought once he entered her mind. Richard had truly believed that he was prepared for what he would find. He had been so very wrong, but that still would not have stopped him from fighting with all he had to bring her back.

"Kahlan, it's me…its Richard. I've come to get you out of here, to bring you home," he gently told her as he ran his fingers through her hair, his eyes never leaving hers despite the fact that all the light had gone out of her once vibrant blue orbs.

Unable to bear it any longer, he leaned in, pressing his cheek against hers, his eyes falling closed as his nose brushed against hers. Her skin felt cold beneath his touch, but he refused to let go of her. Now that he had finally found her, he was never going to let her go.

"Why? You've already taken away your love from me, our daughters, everything that I love has been taken from me. I have nothing left to live for," she murmured as if a fact, not an opinion.

To her, it was all so simple, not something that needed any further discussion. It was just the way it was now, what she had finally come to accept. She had lost her mind, her soul-mate, her daughters, her title, her everything. Nothing was left. Why go on?

Every breath she drew was just an aching reminder that she was still alive.

"What you are seeing is not real, Kahlan. I am real," he desperately told her, pulling back as he began to undo the ropes around her wrists.

"Everyone thinks I've gone mad. I've lost our daughters…lost you to Nicci. Please…just end my life…" she gasped as a tear trickled free from her eye and slid down along her nose.

All of the sudden, the window on the other side of the bed shattered with a deafening crack as glass exploded into the room. Jagged shards flew everywhere, allowing the swirling tempest outside access into the room.

Richard immediately threw himself over Kahlan in an attempt to protect her from the pieces of glass that were suddenly sent flying through the room. He pulled back after a moment, his panic rising. He had to get her out of here before she brought the entire Palace down upon them.

"Kahlan, you must listen to me. This is not real…none of this is real. You've been trapped inside of your mind since I brought you back from the past. I'm bringing you home with me, back home to our daughters," he urgently yelled at her above the din of the storm surrounding them as he released her from the ropes.

"Paige and Piper? You told me I was unfit to be a mother, that I was a danger to my own babies."

"Piper? No, Kahlan. We have two daughters, Paige and Priya," he corrected her as he studied her face, puzzled by her response.

"Priya…" Kahlan repeated the name, the corners of her mouth turning up ever so slightly with the sound of her daughter's name.

"Yes, Priya. Remember the night that we finally decided on our daughters' names? We made love and then we talked for hours about names. I kept teasing you with unusual names that I knew that you would never agree to just because I love the sound of your laughter so much," he reminded her, his heart fluttering with the joy that momentarily flitted through her eyes with the memory. But then it was gone just as quickly as it had appeared.

Kahlan could barely grasp what he was saying to her. She wanted to believe this man who looked like her husband, who sounded and smelled like him, who told him the things that she so desperately wanted to hear. The sight of his warm brown eyes filled with tears began to prick her heart despite the deadness that continued to grip her soul.

Was he just telling her what she wanted to hear to try and trick her? Was he trying to finally push her over the edge that she was hanging by her fingertips to, suddenly turning into Nicci again just to taunt her?

She so badly wanted to just let go, to fall…fall knowing no one would be there to catch her. In the past, her Richard would have always caught her, back when he loved her. She knew that with her whole being, but now she was so lost, so confused.

"You told me that I unstable…not allowed in your bed…you…you…" she began to suddenly sob with the haunting memory of those words. Tears that she thought she no longer had began slipping down her face.

Richard felt his rage growing even hotter, his heart hammering harder with the things that she told him. Seizing hold of her arms, he forcefully pulled her to sit up, making her look him in the eye. He knew he was gripping her tighter than he should, but he was so frantic to make her understand, to make her see how deeply he loved her.

"Kahlan Rahl, listen to me! I am your husband!" he heatedly yelled, his tone angrier that he wanted, but his own hurt and anger was driving him now. "You are my wife…forever and I would never, do you hear me, never banish you from my bed. I love you and you alone and nothing you say or do will ever change that."

Kahlan stared at him as tears continued to roll down her face, not knowing what to believe any more. She wanted so desperately to believe him, but she was terrified to trust him only to have her heart ripped out all over again.

So many things had been said to her, so many things had changed. She didn't know which end was up, which way was right. All she knew now was unending pain that ate at her every waking moment.

"Nicci…" she murmured. "Nicci said…said that you…and her…"

Richard watched in agony as her lips trembled with her words, her hair whipping wildly around her from the gusts of wind, the profound pain in her eyes like a dagger to his heart. He immediately grabbed hold of her head, kissing her forehead before releasing her.

"I need you to trust me, Kahlan. Nothing happened with Nicci, nothing will ever happen between me and Nicci. Trust me…trust this," he solemnly told her, grabbing hold of her hand and placing it flat against his chest over his heart, his hand covering hers as the ceiling began to flake and crumble above them. "This…this beats for you, Kahlan…only you…forever."

The sincerity of his voice, the truth of his words, the love that he held in his heart for her that mirrored in his eyes suddenly began to break through the storm of despair that had held her captive for so many days now.

"I just love you…so much, Richard…" she cried.

"Forever, my precious Kahlan…forever…" he passionately said, grabbing hold of her face again, pressing his lips to hers in a searing kiss.

Kahlan fought against his kiss at first until the word 'forever' finally sunk into her mind. And then she knew…she suddenly knew. This…this was Richard, her Richard. He had come for her, only her.

Feeling her beginning to respond to him, Richard immediately deepened the kiss, frantic to make her believe him, for her to know that he had truly come for her and that he loved no other but her.

Pulling back for air, Kahlan smiled at him, a ghost of that special smile that lit his whole world, but it was still his smile and he knew.

He had saved his Kahlan.

Hovering worriedly over them, Zedd and Cara waited anxiously for any sign that Richard was reaching Kahlan. Richard had been asleep for over three hours now and they were growing more frantic with every passing moment without any sign that he was getting through to her.

Staring at her friends, Cara suddenly pointed excitedly at them. "Look!" she cried to Zedd with relief.

Zedd watched with stunned disbelief as Kahlan's fingers suddenly moved, her hand finding and taking hold of Richard's in their sleep. They intertwined their fingers, clutching each other tightly, their eyes beginning to flutter open.

Cara and Zedd shared a look in that moment that told them that everything was going to be alright now. They were going to have the rest of their family back with them, Paige and Priya would have their parents.

Opening his eyes, Richard swiftly sat up, turning to gather Kahlan into his arms in a protective embrace. The sheer joy and relief that overwhelmed his heart wouldn't allow him to hold her any less fiercely.

She immediately threw her arms around his neck, clutching him so tightly that she feared he wouldn't be able to breathe, but she didn't care.

Burying her face in his shoulder, Kahlan sobbed, trying to grasp what exactly had happened to her. Her fingers clawed at Richard's back as confusion clawed at her mind. Gripping his shirt tightly in her fists, she surrendered fully to the hurts and fears that had held her captive for so long.

Richard pulled her closer, burying his face in her hair as tears slipped from his eyes. Relief washed over him as he held his wife, so overcome with emotions to have her back in his arms, safe and full of life again.

It had been the longest week of his life, not knowing what had been happening to her, having to helplessly sit by and know that she was suffering. Then, what he had found living in her subconscious had been devastating to him, crushing his spirit even further.

Richard didn't know how he was going to be able to get past the fact that Kahlan thought that he would do something like that to her, that he would betray their love like that. The ache in his heart thumped painfully in his chest, a constant reminder of what he had seen inside of her mind.

Richard never heard Zedd and Cara leave or the door to their bedchambers quietly shut behind them. Too consumed with his beloved in his arms, nothing else mattered at that moment.

"I'm sorry, Richard…please forgive me…" she sobbed, the despair in her voice tearing at his soul. "I'm so sorry…"

"Shhh, Kahlan, you have nothing to be sorry for," he gently told her, rubbing her back as crawled up into his lap, her knees falling on either side of his thighs.

"I'm sorry I didn't believe you," she cried, gasping for each breath she drew. "It…it was all so real…I thought you…that Nicci…she told me that you and her…I thought it was real…"

Before he could respond, her lips crashed into his, kissing him with an urgency and despair that he'd never felt in her before. She gripped his hair tightly with her fingers, almost painfully so, but he didn't care. This was his Kahlan, his life and she was alive, responding to him again in a way that she hadn't when he had first found her.

Rising up on her knees, she hovered above him, her lips never leaving his as his head fell back, his mouth dropping open to allow her entrance. She was in full control and he relished it because his Kahlan was his Kahlan once more, full of life, full of love for him and it made his heart swell.

His hands roamed over her curves before firmly gripping her hips. The feel of her tongue in his mouth was demanding and forceful and so very erotic. Her satin nightdress brushed against his chest, the teasing sensation of her breasts beneath the material making his heart pound faster. He found his head was spinning with a need so intense and just as equally desperate as her kisses, but he feared it was too soon.

Pulling back, Richard reached up and cupped her face with his hands as he attempted to quell his desire for her that was pumping wildly through his body. The sight of her brilliant blue eyes so alive and full of life again caused his heart to skip a beat, making it even more difficult to catch the breath that she had just taken away.

And if truth be told, he never wanted it back if it meant giving her up.

Staring at her face that was still filled with such despair, Kahlan was the most beautiful woman that he had ever seen. Her dark hair tumbled down around her shoulders, her cheeks stained with tears. Her chest was heaving with passion, exposing the tops of her breasts with each exerted breath she took and he could still barely grasp that she had chosen to belong to him and no other.

"Richard?" she murmured between pants, her eyes filled with hurt and confusion by his sudden response.

He quickly reached up, brushing her hair out of her face, wanting to dispel the fear and panic that was swiftly filling her eyes. He never wanted to see those emotions in those beautiful blue eyes ever again.

"Kahlan, I love you more than my own life. You have to believe me that I would never be unfaithful to you," he heatedly told her, attempting to keep his anger and hurt out of his voice, but it was difficult.

She immediately averted her eyes, looking away, looking anywhere but at his penetrating brown eyes that saw directly into her soul. She knew that she had hurt him deeply with what he had seen, but she had to make him believe that it was not him that she didn't trust.

"Richard, it was never you that I didn't trust," she softly replied as she stared out the window, drawing shuddering breaths in an attempt to calm her hammering heart. "It was Nicci. She's the most powerful sorceress who has ever lived. I was so terrified when she sent me into the past that she would use her magic on you, forcing you to fall in love her instead of me."

The heartache that had been consuming him suddenly began to dissipate with her words as tender understanding swiftly filled the void. Bringing her head back down to look at him, Richard smiled softly at her.

"Kahlan, there is no magic more powerful than our love. Nicci's magic could never have touched what lives and breathes in my heart for you," he told her, leaning in and softly kissing her. "You are far too precious to me to throw it all away for something so meaningless as one night of empty pleasure with a woman who means nothing to me.

"Nicci could never come close to comparing to you. She may be beautiful, but you, Kahlan, you take my breath away," he smiled softly at her as he studied her face. "You radiate such love and beauty that I find myself falling deeper in love with you every day."

"I love you so much, Richard. The thought of having to go on without you, it…it nearly killed me."

"I know; I saw it in your mind, I felt it, lived it with you for a short time," he replied, swallowing back the emotion that suddenly filled his throat with the memory, of knowing how close he had truly come to losing her. "I know because I feel the same about you. When I thought I had lost you, Kahlan, I wanted to lie down and die. The only thing that kept me going was the hope of saving you and our daughters."

"I love you, my Richard," she replied, smiling the smile that lit his whole world.

"Forever, my Kahlan," he said, bringing back down for another kiss…


	22. Chapter 22

**This is rated "M" just to be safe! Thanks for following along! Hope you have enoyed it!**

**Chapter 22**

"I want to see them…please, Richard. I have to see my girls," she begged him, still straddling his lap, her hands holding his face.

He watched as tears pricked her eyes once more, longing to feel the little lives that she had carried in her womb for eight months. Her voice was still tinged with the panic he was certain still swarmed inside of her heart.

"It's alright," he gently reassured her, caressing her cheek. "I'll go get them right now. You'll never have to be separated from us ever again."

"I know," she lied, biting her bottom lip.

"I'm not going anywhere, Kahlan. This is real…I'm real," he softly said as if reading her mind. "I'll go get the girls. I'll be right back; I promise."

Taking hold her hands, he brought them to his lips, brushing kisses along her knuckles. She swallowed hard against the storm of emotions thundering through her heart as he released his hold on her. Her eyes followed his every movement as he climbed out of bed and headed out the door.

She felt dread begin to rise up from within her core, fearful that he was not coming back. She tried to fight back the alarm but it was growing difficult, her emotions still raw after what she had endured. Tears welled up in her eyes, threatening to fall with every passing moment that Richard was gone.

And then he was suddenly there, coming through the doorway with a little bundle of pink in each arm. She drew a shuddering breath in a futile attempt to rein in her heart, remembering this was how he had brought their daughters to her before in her dream.

Forcing herself to settle back against the pillows, Kahlan drew her knees up as Richard climbed into bed beside her, the grin spreading across his face melting her heart and helping to ease her fears.

"This is Paige," he proudly announced as he handed her their daughter. "She's very gentle and easygoing. I can already tell she has your kind heart."

Kahlan smiled at her husband's observation of his daughter as she took the baby into her arms before propping her up against her drawn up knees. She could hear the pride spilling over in his voice.

"You are so beautiful, my sweet Paige," she cooed to her baby.

Paige suddenly opened her eyes, revealing her father's warm brown orbs. Kahlan smiled at the eyes gazing back at her. "You have your daddy's beautiful eyes," she happily told her, causing the grin on Richard's face to grow.

"And this is Priya," he said as he handed her their youngest daughter. "She's very strong-willed. She's going to be a fighter just like her mother," he proudly told her, reaching over and running his finger along his daughter's cheek.

"Priya…"

The sound of her daughter's name on her lips filled her heart with such unbelievable joy as she stared into the eyes of the baby that looked so much like her own.

"You are just as beautiful as your sister, my precious Priya," she softly said, running her fingers through the soft brown hair on her head before brushing her finger along her nose. "You have your daddy's nose."

"Poor girl," Richard chuckled lightly.

"No…no, they're perfect because they remind me so much of you," she lovingly replied as she turned to look at her husband who was leaning against her arm.

"They're absolutely beautiful because they look like their mother," he murmured, leaning in and kissing her softly.

Pulling back, Richard found tears trickling down Kahlan's face again. "Hey, what's wrong?" he softly asked with concern, wiping her tears with the pad of his thumb.

"I…I just missed out on so much," she murmured as another tear rolled down her cheek, her eyes focused completely on her babies. "You already know so much about them. I'm their mother, Richard, and I don't even know my own daughters. I missed out on over a week of their little lives, time that I'll never get back with them."

"I'm so sorry, Kahlan. I should have gotten to you sooner…"

"It's not your fault," she interrupted, shaking her head in disagreement. "You saved me, Richard. This was all Nicci's fault."

The bitter note in her voice was not missed by her husband. It would take some time for her to recover from the devastation that she had been put through. Telling her now that Nicci was here with them inside of the Palace would only add to the uncertainty and despair that still clung to her.

"It's alright. It doesn't matter anymore. You're back with me, with our daughters. That's all that matters right now. And we have the rest of our lives to enjoy our girls and to make more babies," he told her with a knowing grin, kissing her again.

They sat like that for a long time, staring at their babies, kissing and taking pleasure in the lives that they had created together.

Kahlan was home with her Richard, with her daughters and her life was perfect once again.

XXX

Richard lay in bed on his side, watching Kahlan as she slept, studying her beautiful face. This is what he had done for over a week - sitting by her side, holding her hand, silently willing her to open her eyes and make his world right once again.

Now, though, now he knew that she would open her eyes. He would see those gorgeous blue depths that stirred his soul and it caused inexplicable excitement to hum from within like a schoolboy waiting for his crush.

Except that she was no mere crush, no young man's infatuation. What they shared was so much deeper than that, so much more precious.

Kahlan was the bright and shining star that lit his entire universe, causing every other woman to become so dull in comparison to the light that she radiated, eclipsing them all from sight.

After holding their daughters last night, Kahlan had nursed one while he had rocked the twin to sleep after her feeding. It had been just like he had dreamed and yet so much better.

Returning to bed, he had held her close to him, their bodies molded together just like they were meant to be, unable to tell where one ended and the other began. He had told her all that had happened, about the spell Nicci had implanted inside of her mind, how he had never left her side except to fight Darken Rahl's forces.

Kahlan had broken down as she told him the details of the horrors of what she had seen and felt, how real it had all seemed. She told him how hard she had fought to find a way to save him even though she hadn't known that it was all an illusion at the time.

It wasn't until she had seen him kissing Nicci, until Nicci had come to tell her that Richard had made love to her that she had totally lost the will to live. Everything had been stripped away from her including her belief in herself and that had been the final blow. Despite everything, she hadn't been strong enough.

She had lost herself in the midst of all the madness storming around her and the most horrific part of that loss had been Richard. She had told him again how sorry she was that she had fallen for the lie her mind had created, for allowing her unfounded fears to take root.

Richard had buried his face in her neck, his tears falling with her from the extent of her heartache, wanting so badly to heal her hurts. While it had hurt him that she had believed that he could do something like that to her, he understood her fear.

Sister Nicci was the most powerful sorceress to ever live. With the Rada'Han around his neck, he had been defenseless against her magic. The only thing that had shielded him from being seduced by her was his vast love for Kahlan.

By telling her about his love for Kahlan, the things that he felt for his wife, Richard had been able to make Nicci realize the futileness of her efforts to win him. He was beyond her reach, beyond the magical touch of even the most powerful sorceress on earth.

He had told Kahlan how there was nothing to forgive, how she had been under a magical spell that had turned her world upside down. Like a ravaged beast, it had fed on her fears and her memories, twisting and turning them into something completely incomprehensible.

The more that Kahlan had told him about the things that she had endured, the things that she had been subjected to, the more fully Richard understood how she had come to believe that he would be unfaithful to her, how she had lost the will to live. And it felt like a knife piercing his heart over and over again with every breath he drew.

Their hearts were bound as one, her hurts were his hurts, her joys his joys. And while he would sometimes love to trade the weighty responsibilities that had been thrust upon them, he would never sacrifice his wife for all the peace that a simple life in the woods could bring. It was not worth it to him, nothing was worth losing her.

Watching her now, Richard still felt the lingering pangs of guilt. Helping her heal from those mental and emotional wounds was first and foremost in his mind, but he also had so many other things weighing heavily upon him right now.

While Darken Rahl's head sat upon a pike in the central courtyard of the People's Palace, Richard did not truly believe it to be that of his brother's. Remembering how easily Zedd had been able to recreate the likeness of his own head, Richard took little stock in the so called evidence of his wicked brother's demise.

Rahl was up to something more devious than anything Richard could possibly begin to imagine and it set him on edge even more. Until he had personally rid the world of Darken Rahl, Kahlan and his daughters would forever be in the center of his worst fears.

While not stating outright in that ultimatum what he would do, Richard knew what lay in store for his wife if his brother got his hands on her and it caused a shiver of terror to shoot down his spine.

And then there was the Altaean army. Rahl had made sure that they took the full brunt of the battle while he and his men stayed safely back. It was not unusual for his brother to send others to the slaughter when it benefited him most, but it was unsettling to think that he and his D'Haran soldiers had just slaughtered the entire Altaean army who were just pawns in Rahl's twisted plans.

He closed his eyes against the thought, suppressing the sorrow that always rose to the surface when he was reminded of the orders that he'd given that day. If he was going to be the Lord Rahl, he was going to have to grow accustomed to giving the difficult orders such as this, knowing that he was sending men to their deaths.

Feeling her begin to stir beside him, he felt a flutter erupt in the pit of his stomach when her brilliant blue eyes met his. Swallowing hard, he leaned down, brushing his lips so lovingly against hers.

"Good morning, my love," he murmured against her mouth.

This was how he wanted to greet every morning for the rest of his life, how he wanted to bid goodbye to the end of every day with the taste of her on his tongue. He had never felt such peace as when he laid with her in his arms.

He sighed contentedly as her fingers slipped up into his hair, pulling him closer to her. He could feel himself respond to her as he shifted his body over hers, her hands roaming over his back as her teeth and tongue blazed a trail along his jaw towards his ear.

"Morning, my Richard," she purred in his ear before replacing her words with her tongue.

Kahlan loved the feel of his body covering hers, sheltering her in the shadow of his love. She felt so safe and secure as if nothing could ever touch her, nothing could ever hurt her again. To finally feel him like this again made her heart soar as he began the arduous process of healing her wounded heart.

Groaning with the feel of her nipping at his ear, Richard knew if he allowed her to keep touching and kissing him like this, she was going to have her way especially with her hands stroking the muscles of his chest.

His throat went dry with that sensual thought. As much as that kiss was beginning to heal his own heart, he wouldn't be fully healed until he had made her his once more, until they were connected body to body and soul to soul, but she was in no condition for that just yet.

Drawing back for air, he knew that he needed to stop this now, but his heart was hammering wildly with his mounting need to have her. He was swiftly losing this battle to her, one that he would have eagerly surrendered to in the past, but it was too soon after bringing her back from the depths of hell.

Despite her fierce hold on him, Richard knew that he could easily break free from it. She was still drained from all that had happened to her, but her strength would return in time and that was enough for him right now. Just being able to hold her, to kiss her and feel her respond to him again was enough for him at that moment.

"Kahlan…"

The strangled sound of her name on his lips as his eyes fell closed caused a flutter of intense want to flame hotter in her core. She needed him so desperately right now, needed to feel his love for her. Apprehension and fear still embraced her despite the fact that Richard had saved her from the turmoil she had been living.

She needed to feel something, something real. She needed her best friend, her soul-mate, her lover. She needed her Richard.

He was her salvation, saving her with his love, the love that sustained her life.

He unexpectedly found himself on his back, Kahlan hovering over him like a breathtaking spirit. Any thought of ending this suddenly escaped his mind as she pulled her nightdress over her head and tossed it aside.

Hooking her hair behind her ear, she leaned over him, the need to tease him like she had in her subconscious mind suddenly becoming too overpowering. She lightly brushed her nose against his, quickly drawing back as he attempted to kiss her.

He groaned a throaty sound that set her pulse to pounding as she slowly leaned in again, gliding her tongue across his lip. She smirked, feeling his heart pounding wildly beneath her hands.

Digging her fingernails into his chest, she continued to tease and taunt him, leaning in and brushing her lips against his, only to suddenly pull back at the last second causing his frustration to ignite into a fiery need that made him squirm beneath her.

His brown eyes darkened with lust, driving his desperate need for her higher and higher. His chest was heaving as her fingers danced lower across his abdomen before finding the laces of his sleeping pants. Untying the laces, she felt him buck his hips, allowing her the opportunity to remove his pants as she teased his lips again with her tongue.

Richard felt as if his body was on fire with the way Kahlan was torturing him with what he so desperately wanted, so anxiously needed. He needed her, needed her to be his Kahlan again, to be his lover, his everything once more.

The feel of her lips just beyond his reach only caused his blood to burn hotter, to pound harder through his body as his hands roamed over her smooth soft flesh. His fingers glided along her ribs before settling on her hips, gripping her firmly with his powerful hands.

He knew she needed this right now, needed to be in complete control of something after the hell she had lived through. She'd had everything taken away from her and now she was taking it all back. And he would gladly give her all that she needed, allowing her to take whatever she wanted from him. He loved her too much to deny her anything.

His hands suddenly slipped from her body only to find the sheets beneath as she drew his lower lip between her teeth, gently sucking before retreating once more. He wanted so much more. She somehow always satiated him and yet always left him wanting so much more.

Fisting the sheet tightly, his head rolled back, his hips jerking up as she finally gave him what he wanted so badly. He moaned a sound akin to dying as she raked her nails over his chest, her mouth finally smashing into his.

Kissing along his throat, she paused, drawing his flesh between her teeth and eliciting a growl that vibrated through her blood as she gripped at his shoulders.

He had been so terrified of losing her, of never seeing that smile he loved or gazing into the eyes that stole the very air from his lungs that he could no longer help himself. He gripped her hips tightly, rolling them over and taking her breath away with the intensity of his kiss as his lips crashed into hers once more.

Kahlan gasped at the feel of his body over hers again, relishing in the feeling of his defined muscles as she greedily ran her fingers over his flesh. And then he was suddenly inside of her, completing her and giving every bit of himself to her.

As his body fully surrendered to her, Richard responded to her the only way he knew how, loving her with everything that he was and wanted to be for her. He was unable to hold himself back as he moved over her, needing to show her that she truly was his one and only love.

The feeling of him moving so forcefully within her, the powerful way in which he took her made her feel so alive, so completely loved. Every forceful thrust, every heated touch, every passionate kiss spoke of his undying love, letting her know of his deep hunger for her. It made her heart feel as if it was going to burst with the love she felt for him.

Kahlan suddenly felt herself being driven over a completely different type of a cliff as he thrust with wild abandon, the type of precipice that she craved being taken over by him and with him over and over again.

With a primal scream of his name from her lips, Kahlan found herself falling, but this was a fall of pure ecstasy and she knew he would catch her when she fell.

As he released inside of her, her name filled the air of their bedchambers as Richard weakly collapsed on top of her. She immediately wrapped her limbs around his quivering form, holding him securely to her as they trembled together, catching each other in the blissful fall.

He attempted to roll off of her, but she refused to allow him to move. She gripped him even more tightly to her, her arms and legs wrapped so protectively around him that it brought tears to his eyes.

"Thank you for loving me, Richard…for not giving up on me…" she panted softly in his ear as she whispered kisses along his jaw.

"Kahlan, I will never give up on you. You're my life and I love you," he murmured, pulling back to gaze into her eyes.

"Forever, my love," she replied, giving him the smile she gave no other.

XXX

Wandering through the barracks designated for the D'Haran soldiers, he made his way out into the cold morning air. He paused long enough to salute a higher ranking soldier, nodding to other fellow comrades before finding his way to a secluded area behind their quarters.

It had been a long day that had quickly melted into the night until now when he had finally been able to get away. Helping to tend to injured soldiers had not been part of his plan, but he had quickly gotten swept up into the chaos.

With a weary sigh, he removed his helmet that hid his features from view. Running his fingers through his blond hair, he was reminded once more of the dying soldier he had brought in yesterday morning and the final words he had spoken to Commander Fellows.

"_Teutorigos…"_

He smiled a cunning smile with the reminder. "Teutorigos, indeed," he murmured to himself before slipping off into the morning…

**TO BE CONTINUED**


End file.
